Wendy Keefover-Ring highlights Wildlife Service’s ‘War on Wildlife’ given the current budget crisis, highlighting its cost to the American tax-payer.
The Ugly Cost of Killing – Huffington Post
Many of us are struggling financially, even while we watch Congress wrangle over deficit levels, tax cuts or increases and political ideology. Much is wrong with our economy, yet little-known, wasteful government spending continues unchecked. One such example has been with us since 1915 : the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) wildlife-killing program, called Wildlife Services. Not only does this program persist, but its latest figures show that it is spending and killing more than ever.
Comments
This article is unbelieveable!! How can anyone (Democrat or Republican) justify this. The saddest part of this article is the number killed and there is no mention of the killing of Buffalo that takes place every year. It is true that some animals will lose their life because of man but in NO WAY should this number of animals be hunted, trapped and killed!!
For an overall and comprehensive history of this killing process, though a slow read Michael Robinson’s Predatory Beuracracy. One can follow how agriculture ranching blessed the Feds in this process. Ironic that the antis claim they got rid of the wolves, nope sorry it was the same Feds that realized their mistake and have brought them back.
These types of programs continue unabated as most citizens don’t care enough to write their legislators to tell them to stop. The gun/hunting lobby is ever-present in state and federal power-centers, pushing their agenda. While the Republicans seems to love these programs most, Democrats acquiesce as their constituency is silent on the topic.
The new keyword to phuck the environment for a buck is ‘Jobs’, eg, “We can’t stop our killing program now, as it would mean layoffs.” “We can’t require better fuel economy as it would cost jobs.” of the Earth is not enough threat to change our ways, even if it means the only fish we’re going to have are sardines.
Since you’re reading this, you’re probably doing something already to make things better, or you’re part of the group to maintain status quo for profits or your innate right to kill whatever you want to for ‘sport’.
I happen to think many of the WS functions are very important to agriculture, human health and safety, property protection, and overall wildlife management (and even the very protection of some ESA animals by management/control of other wildlife).
There is a detailed break down that so-called staggering number of $127M per year, applied to each of those functions (there is a breakout of the amount spent), in each and every state in the US.
It is really not very much money at all, with a range of $350,000 – 3,5M per state. Consdier those sums as against the revenues from all agricultural crops and it is a drop in the bucket.
The slant journalism of Wendy Keefover-Ring at Wildlife Guardians is simply NOT an honest assessment of what is going on and how this money is spent. What is equally as bad is the Huffington Post forum, on which it is appears – slant journalism at its finest, right up there with the sleazeballs of Fox.
Take a look at this chart and you will begin to understand the breadth and depth of how alot of that money is spent in response to wildlife
“incidents” damaging crops or revenue and recreation livestock – from blue berries, to corn to chickens, alphalfa and protection of green sea turtles, as well as the cattle/sheep/horses/alpacas, etc.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/prog_data/2010_prog_data/PDR_C/Basic_Tables_PDR_C/Table_C_Full_Report.pdf
Yeah, this is an objective piece – NOT!