received this email today. Draw your own conclusions!
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has proposed a new three-year $2.2 million pilot program to open up private land for public hunting.
While Farm Bureau members recognize the value of expanding hunting opportunities and habitat, this program 1) creates another costly expense when state government should be focused on reducing expenses and balancing the budget and 2) fails to adequately address farmer liability and other landowner concerns. Farm Bureau members are encouraged to email DNR their comments opposing the program by Thursday, February 3.
If the Wildlife Habitat on Private Lands Promotion Program is approved, DNR plans to contract with private landowners who develop wildlife habitat on designated acres and allow public hunting access on those acres. DNR intends to pay for the program with funds it secured from a federal grant and the state’s Fish and Game Protection Fund.
The official program proposal is alarmingly short on details. It doesn’t give landowners absolute liability protection from lawsuits, including ones resulting from personal injuries and property damage caused by hunters. And it doesn’t address other important issues for participating landowners, including cost-share, incentive rates, contract cancelation process and penalties, weed control, law enforcement responsibilities, limits on hunting in standing crops and possible land management or endangered species restrictions.
It also creates another program to fund while the state government tries to cope with a $263 million budget shortfall and the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund (the largest source of revenue in DNR’s annual budget) remains on pace to run out of funding in 2014!
Email DNR by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 3. Tell them you oppose a program that’s costly for Iowa and risky for landowners. Click the link at the bottom of this message to take action now!
Sincerely,
Zach Bader
Grassroots Program Manager
Iowa Farm Bureau