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Minnesota cattlemen call for more depredation tags to protect feed supplies

A policy specialist with the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association says better solutions for deer and elk depredation are needed.

Ryan Vos tells Brownfield.

“I think the big one is just being able to increase the amount of tags we’re giving out, and being able to make it easier to get those tags. It’s a really hard process right now, you have to contact the DNR and they’ve got to have proof of the damage and everything like that.”

He says a timely response is often critical when wildlife damage agricultural property.

“When we’re dealing with cattle feed and everything, it’s not something that if a silage bag rips open in the middle that can be pretty devastating to the entire pile. So just making it so we can handle what we need to handle easier.”

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture does administer compensation for damage, but claims must be verified by an approved investigator.