The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expanding its migratory big game initiative into Idaho for landowners who voluntarily conserve habitat for animals such as elk, deer and pronghorn. (File photo courtesy of Idaho Department of Fish and Game)
Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture are expanding into Idaho and Montana a program that offers financial incentives to ranchers and agriculture producers who voluntarily participate in conservation programs for migratory big game animals.
The department is expanding the migratory big game initiative pilot program from Wyoming into Idaho and Montana, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For 2024, the program includes about $21 million in federal funding to begin the expansion, according to the USDA press release.
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The program is designed to offer private landowners funding for conservation of big game habitat in a way that allows them to keep their working lands productive, Lane Justus, the Idaho resource coordinator for the Western Landowners Alliance said in a telephone interview Friday.
What are the goals of the USDA’s big game program?
The program is geared toward large migratory hooved animals, such as elk, deer or pronghorn. Justus said that the number of large mammals such as elk and deer on working private lands is growing due to factors such as population growth and animals moving away from hunters and recreation users on nearby public lands. Justus said that comes at a cost to the landowner, such as elk competing with livestock for forage or luring additional predators to the land.
The USDA offers a variety of funding incentives to choose from based on the property and habitat needs. That could include funding for conservation easements, moving or repairing fences or grassland conservation.
“This program acknowledges the value those working lands are providing,” Justus said. “It is a way to combat some of that expense and support landowners so their land can stay intact, whole and healthy.”
In Idaho, there will be $3 million in funding for perpetual conservation easements and nearly $4.4 million for restoration and enhancement practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The programs accept applications throughout the year and applicants who miss one year’s deadline will be forwarded into the following funding cycle. Information about state deadlines is available online.
“We’re pleased to announce the expansion of this initiative,” Bruce Sandoval, acting state conservationist for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, said in a written statement. “It will help create new and enhanced opportunities through USDA’s conservation programs to keep working lands working and give farmers, ranchers and forest landowners new opportunities to conserve wildlife and migration corridors.”
Agriculture producers, ranchers and other property owners may apply to participate in the program through a local USDA service center, such as the Caldwell Service Center, 2208 E. Chicago St., in Caldwell. More information about the program and how to apply is available online.
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by Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
December 4, 2023
by Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
December 4, 2023
Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture are expanding into Idaho and Montana a program that offers financial incentives to ranchers and agriculture producers who voluntarily participate in conservation programs for migratory big game animals.
The department is expanding the migratory big game initiative pilot program from Wyoming into Idaho and Montana, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For 2024, the program includes about $21 million in federal funding to begin the expansion, according to the USDA press release.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
The program is designed to offer private landowners funding for conservation of big game habitat in a way that allows them to keep their working lands productive, Lane Justus, the Idaho resource coordinator for the Western Landowners Alliance said in a telephone interview Friday.
What are the goals of the USDA’s big game program?
The program is geared toward large migratory hooved animals, such as elk, deer or pronghorn. Justus said that the number of large mammals such as elk and deer on working private lands is growing due to factors such as population growth and animals moving away from hunters and recreation users on nearby public lands. Justus said that comes at a cost to the landowner, such as elk competing with livestock for forage or luring additional predators to the land.
The USDA offers a variety of funding incentives to choose from based on the property and habitat needs. That could include funding for conservation easements, moving or repairing fences or grassland conservation.
“This program acknowledges the value those working lands are providing,” Justus said. “It is a way to combat some of that expense and support landowners so their land can stay intact, whole and healthy.”
In Idaho, there will be $3 million in funding for perpetual conservation easements and nearly $4.4 million for restoration and enhancement practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The programs accept applications throughout the year and applicants who miss one year’s deadline will be forwarded into the following funding cycle. Information about state deadlines is available online.
“We’re pleased to announce the expansion of this initiative,” Bruce Sandoval, acting state conservationist for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, said in a written statement. “It will help create new and enhanced opportunities through USDA’s conservation programs to keep working lands working and give farmers, ranchers and forest landowners new opportunities to conserve wildlife and migration corridors.”
Agriculture producers, ranchers and other property owners may apply to participate in the program through a local USDA service center, such as the Caldwell Service Center, 2208 E. Chicago St., in Caldwell. More information about the program and how to apply is available online.
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Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. Follow Idaho Capital Sun on Facebook and Twitter.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
Clark Corbin has more than a decade of experience covering Idaho government and politics. He has covered every Idaho legislative session since 2011 gavel-to-gavel. Prior to joining the Idaho Capital Sun he reported for the Idaho Falls Post Register and Idaho Education News. His reporting in Idaho has helped uncover a multimillion-dollar investment scam and exposed inaccurate data that school districts submitted to the state.
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The Idaho Capital Sun is the Gem State’s newest nonprofit news organization delivering accountability journalism on state politics, health care, tax policy, the environment and more.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.
