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Department of Agriculture recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign retroactive Cooperative Service Agreement 25-7306-6574-RA with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Wildlife Services in the amount of $88,693.97, with a term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 for Wildlife Services.
FUNDING: General Fund (62%) and Unclaimed Gas Tax (38%).
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Wildlife Services program is a cooperative venture between El Dorado County and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In the past, the USDA provides one full time employee, and the county has one full time Wildlife Services employee. The USDA-APHIS program has negotiated contracts with many counties throughout the state for wildlife services. USDA had worked with the department to offset the charges to our county allowing us to utilize the expertise and special equipment provided through USDA APHIS licenses with Fish and Wildlife for the past twenty plus years. The Department has included this amount in the FY 2025-26 approved budget.
There are two types of protection offered under this program with the main goal to control only the animals that are causing damage or injury, and providing technical assistance in wildlife damage prevention, including urgent and emergency large (bears and mountain lions) animal depredation:
1. Urban animal damage: These calls involve homeowners who have skunks, raccoons, or other wildlife that have taken up residence in the vicinity of their home and are causing property damage or are a threat to either pets or human health and safety.
2. Farmers and ranchers with livestock, crop and/or property loss: Typically, these calls involve both domestic and wild animal attacks on agricultural land.
The Agriculture Department recommends approval of the Cooperative Service Agreement to ensure the continued assistance in resolving wildlife damage problems and protect health and safety i...
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