Dear Fellow Massachusetts PAC Agent,
You need to be aware that USDAWildlife Services is currently looking to take over certain aspects of wildlife control in Massachusetts (see attached). Wildlife Services (WS) is one of the few federal agencies that actively competes with private sector companies.
Last month I was informed by CSX Railroad that, while he was very happy with my company’s service, he could no longer hire me because Wildlife Services will be doing wildlife control for the railroad. That means that federal employees are using taxpayer money to provide service to a large, private, for-profit corporation!
Wildlife Services was originally formed to provide predator control to underserved farmers and ranchers but today functions using taxpayer money to take jobs away from tax paying small businesses. Wildlife Services has a long-standing reputation as a rogue agency that operates in secrecy using vague doublespeak, endless loopholes, and reams of “scientific data” to justify their existence. As they deem themselves "federal agents" they have a history of not following the same local and state licensing, permitting, and trapping regulations that private wildlife control operators and fur trappers must comply with. A bipartisan request from within the U.S. congress has been made for an investigation into the unfair and wasteful operations of Wildlife Services.
It is most important to note that Massachusetts already has in place a system for dealing with wildlife conflicts. The state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is in place to monitor, study, and regulate wildlife-related issues. There are open trapping and hunting seasons and out-of-season permitting that sportsmen, fur trappers, and over 150 private wildlife control companies use to prevent or control human-wildlife conflicts. When asked why Wildlife Services feels the need for redundant assessment and control activities, the state director replied “It is confusing, isn’t it?”
A reasonable comparison would be the US Forest Service coming into the state and using tax payer money to provide tree services for anyone that asks . . . while putting private tree companies out of business. Wildlife Services is taking a "back door" approach to attempt to take over wildlife control in this state with no independent oversight, transparency, or requirement for public input. At a time of economic struggle it's unfathomable that an outdated federal agency is seeking to take jobs away from small businesses in Massachusetts.
I have attached a copy of Wildlife Services' solicitation. WS is unwilling to provide a list of whom the document was sent to but it could very well be some of your customers. Please comment to Wildlife Services as requested on the attached document BEFORE JUNE 29! Our response must be in support of Option C in the third paragraph - C) No damage management program conducted by Wildlife Services in the State. Keep the federal government out of our businesses!
I have also contacted my elected officials asking them to support local small businesses and fur trappers and keep Wildlife Services out of wildlife control in Massachusetts. Links to find your representatives are listed below.
Please pass this email along to other PAC agents or trappers who may be impacted by this.
Don LaFountain
Integrated Wildlife Control
PO Box 60169
Florence, MA 01062-0169
Phone: (413) 586-0890 Email: don.iwc2011@gmail.com
http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
