Don,

I agree with you 100%. This not good news it actually expands WS atuhoRITY. Pure BS, NWCOA and NPMA sold the WCO out as far as I am concerned. WS was limited prior to this an dnow if passed they would have open season on all work in any city of less than 50,000 and lots of loop hole to expand further.

We will agree to disagree on this one but there is no way this expands thier ability. I strongly feel it Dosnt go far enough but they will loose a tremendous amount of revenue and have to move resources and will be less likely to be able to undercut us.

By no means should we not continue or efforts to get more.

Lets pick the state to start in.

Although far from ideal the PESTT agreement is a step forward.
To be clear the PESTT agreement is NOT the PESTT act.
The PESTT agreement is not changing the law and is not giving USDA more authority. It is putting some restrictions ( not enought in my opinion) on USDA.

It is in no way allowing USDA to do more than they are already doing now.
Please read the AGREEMENT carefully.

USDA will loose millions in revenue from this agreement ( not as much as if the PESTT ACt was put into law) but they will be forced to divert money from other programs and will be less likely to undercut us

I applaud the work of NPMA. They have done a tramendous job giving wco's a voice in Washington. They even listen to non mbers concerns!

There are the two laws from which Wildlife Services authority derives. The first law was initially enacted in 1931 and second was passed in 1987.

Here is the law.

On and after December 22, 1987, the Secretary of Agriculture is
authorized, except for urban rodent control, to conduct activities
and to enter into agreements with States, local jurisdictions,
individuals, and public and private agencies, organizations, and
institutions in the control of nuisance mammals and birds and those
mammal and bird species that are reservoirs for zoonotic diseases,
and to deposit any money collected under any such agreement into
the appropriation accounts that incur the costs to be available
immediately and to remain available until expended for Animal
Damage Control activities

The only work USDA is not allowed to do is urban rodent work. Unfortunately urban rodent was not defined in the 1987 law. This agreement attempts to define it. In addition to shining a light in all the areas they compete against us.

USDA advertising for hog work in NH

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130505/GJNEWS_01/130509521

USDA doing goose work on LI NY

http://www.longisland.com/news/05-13-13/north-hempstead-approves-plan-to-euthanize-canada-geese.html

a good way to learn your competition?

http://www3.ag.purdue.edu/entm/wildlifehotline/pdf/NWCOsurvey.pdf

Cabelas is providing a advertising platform for USDA WS.
Contact them, tell them how much money you spend with them and demand that they take all reference to USDA WS off their site

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Living-With-Wildlife/532590.uts

USDA Conducting Urban Rodent Control in Oakland CA

http://www.acvcsd.org/services/wildlife/usda-wildlife-info.htm

LOL what a joke

As I posted on your facebook page I spoke with with Cabela's the first guy was a little fairy but the supervisor sounded apologetic and was going to talk to corporate tomorrow.

I am saying that we should have demanded enforcement of the 87 act and demanded that "Urban rodents Control" be enforced as "Urban Rodents", Beaver, Nutria, Porcupines, Muskrats, whatever. Urban is Urban a group of house to form a city not some BS "50,000" or more. We are the Feds and there is no one to help you if you do not live in a city of 50,000 or more, pure BS.
My problem with it is the wording was the wording , let the courts decide, why give in and allow this expanded USDA friendly definition to become codified.

The PESTT act was on its way and with this agreement the Congress thinks we are all just getting along.

JMO but NWCOA erred in trying to sit down with a pack of thieves and liars and expect to get anything more than a reach around. I don't know how many $250 memberships they have sold, I hear it is alot less than there once was, but surely they raised enough to at least talk to a shyster, I mean doctor of jurisprudence, about a class action.

A few note worthy quotes from an article concerned money allocated to killing feral swine will be used for other reasons.




http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/awetzler/a_new_mission_for_wildlife_ser.html

This is what they always do to support their program. They have been trying to control ferel pigs for decades. Now with just a little more fundibg they will magically solve the promlem. Right........
They have NEVER been successful at reducing the ferel hog population even on a small scale.

Realize it isn't the sidebar anyone is looking for here, but I would avoid the feral hog discussion, more funding and coordination are the only things that will eliminate feral hog populations and anyone including the govt. doing so must have both to make something happen. States like FL and CA where policies confound the work being done including in CA selling GAME TAGS for hogs will make eradication impossible for anyone.

In NM a multi agency task force is having a very positive effect and changing the tide in feral hog population spread. Will this be the same everywhere? Nope,
but I would hesitate to throw stones in the direction of invasive species, they are better at it and it used to be my job to plan and coordinate it.

They (USDA) can't overthrow private landowners and others who harbor and spread hogs which is the real problem with feral animals of any kind, it is not possible to kill off a population of invasive species, or reduce disease issues, etc... without landowner support, because we do not live in a country where you can just usurp the private landowner for such things at this time. (Though this is done with invasive weeds in the western U.S.)

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The rest of the discussion is interesting and entertaining and also telling of the separation within the "industry" being represented by various sides here.

I'm not jumping in on this discussion for any reason other than to say I would avoid the feral hog or invasive discussion. Until a bunch of private guys form an entity of size and scope to do statewide or regional feral hog programs with landowner and interagency support, this one is best left alone.

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Again, interesting discussion though on everything else!

USDA set to be investigated in 2013 according to the OIG report.
See appendix E (pg 16)

http://www.usda.gov/oig/webdocs/2013APFinal.pdf

It is vital that everyone contact the OIG and tell them how USDA is effecting you company. All you need to do is send an email, also ask them the current status of the investigation.

Make sure you back your claims up with facts and not anger. Keep it short and to the point. PM me if you would like an example.

Here is their website:

http://www.usda.gov/oig/hotline.htm