MARYLAND - The Maryland Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources are introducing a new program to connect farmers and hunters in a concerted effort to lessen deer damage on agricultural land.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the new initiative is aimed at teaching deer management techniques in order to minimize the impact of deer overpopulation and loss of crops in the state. The plan was developed after farmers voiced their concerns during last year’s Deer Summit held by the Department and a survey of farmers who say they experience continual crop damage.
"The negative impacts of overpopulation of deer on the economic livelihood of Maryland farmers and arborists cannot be ignored. While deer are a crucial part of the state's ecosystem, they also cause significant damage to crops, forest regeneration, and private and commercial landscaping," said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “Therefore, the department is working on developing and implementing strategies to manage the overpopulation of deer and minimize their negative impacts.”
Lee Richardson, a 5th generation Wicomico County poultry and grain farmer, says he's seen a massive increase in deer over the past several decades
“We don’t have the woods around like we used to, the woodland has been cleared over the years, 20 years, and they’re looking for a food source and we’re it," said Richardson.
He says it's caused a serious economic impact,
“Some areas, like, we have a 50 acre farm and we lost 25 acres of it – that’s a total loss. There’s a 50% cut in our yield, and then a 50 percent cut in what we made revenue wise. It’s enough to put you out of business if it happened on all our land," Richardson added.
The initiative looks to expand hunting on private farmland in conjunction with Maryland farmers, giving access to hunters to help cull deer herds. The Department of Agriculture says the plan also includes working with local jurisdictions to expand access to existing public lands and opportunities for acquisition of public lands to expand hunting.
An option for hunters to donate deer meat to the Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank is also part of the initiative.
“The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources will continue to work with Maryland farmers and hunters to achieve the anticipated goals and outcomes of this program, the Department of Agriculture said in a press release. “This initiative represents a significant step forward in managing the state's deer population while addressing the concerns of farmers and promoting sustainable practices.”
More information about the program can be obtained by emailing Cassie Shirk at the Maryland Department of Agriculture at cassie.shirk@maryland.gov.
