WHEREAS the excessive deer population has a detrimental impact on an already economically challenged farming industry and poses a serious deer management problem; AND WHEREAS the Province previously allocated funding for farmers through the Environmental Farm Plan for perimeter fencing, but has since withdrawn this avenue of funding: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government be urged to reinstate funding to farms for perimeter deer fencing as part of the Environmental Farm Plan.
Ministry of Agriculture The Province recognizes that the deer population can have an impact on farming industries and that prevention and mitigation measures are an important management approach. The Ministry of Agriculture works with provincial agencies, the sector and other interests to find ways to enable healthy wildlife populations to co-exist with agriculture, in a manner that does not significantly impact agriculture operations. The Ministry is working on policy approaches to encourage prevention and mitigation measures fencing is one example, as well as compensation, that respect the interests and realities at the local level. In response to calls for reinstating funding to farms for perimeter deer fencing as part of the Environmental Farm Plan, the Province advises that it is currently reviewing ways to broadly address wildlife impacts to agriculture. As part of the upcoming negotiations with the Federal Government on the next five year federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 funding agreement starting April 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to identify opportunities for programming to address wildlife impacts to agriculture. The Province remains committed in working towards a balanced and integrated solution that sustains both farmers and wildlife populations.