January 24, 2020

Senator Jim Patrick - District 25 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

I was honored this week to be named an Ag All Star by the Food Producers of Idaho. I plan to continue working hard for Idaho farmers, who are doing an excellent job for our state. Idaho is now the fifth-largest agricultural economy in the U.S., with cattle and milk alone accounting for 54% of our revenue. Even better, this growth is coming from increased production instead of price hikes, and it’s being done with very little government subsidy. Idaho is also on the right track with our gun rights, with recent research confirming Idaho as the second most gun-friendly state in the nation.

I am also quite grateful to be re-appointed to the advisory committee for the Food Quality Assurance Laboratory. I’m sure I’ll be quite busy on it, as I have been on all of my other committees. I’ve had discussions over Idaho Preferred, veterinary medicine, and rules for the Department of Finance and Department of Insurance. Building safety is another issue I’ve had the opportunity to examine, especially regarding problems with electrical codes and the number of apprentices with journeymen.

Finally, the Idaho Fish and Game Department released a statement about its recent activities concerning elk. It is posted below.

Sincerely,

Jim Patrick

On January 11, 2019 the following was posted by Jeff Scott from Twin Falls on Facebook.

“This is part of the 172 elk delivered to scarrow meat by the Idaho fish and game after they hired hunters to kill them because of a depredation complaint from a farmer north of Shoshone. Stuff like this along with all the excess tags that were given out in the wood river and southern Idaho area makes one wonder why Is the Fish and Game trying to wipe out the elk herds. Maybe the wolf is not the only problem we have in this state. When the elk are gone and they don’t sell any licenses maybe they will realize they made a huge mistake. It seems to me that certain people with deep pockets have more control over the fish and game than we hunters. Better start asking the right questions sportsmen or you won’t have any wildlife to hunt.”

Issue Background:

The Facebook statement is incorrect that 172 elk were killed in a single depredation event north of Shoshone.

The 172 elk were killed during sharp-shooting treatments in Game Management Unit 44 that occurred from July 14 through October 8 as part of a department research project with University of Idaho to study methods of reducing depredation. Sharp-shooting was a research method to evaluate change to elk migration and feeding behavior.

The number of animals killed per each sharp-shooting treatment ranged from zero to seven. No one from the public was hired to shoot elk; only Fish and Game staff killed the elk.

During these events, elk were quickly field-dressed, placed in refrigerated trailers, and then transported to a local processor, Scarrow Meats in Jerome. The meat was donated to Idaho Hunters Feeding the Hungry, who then distributed the meat to local food banks for needy Idahoans.

Issue History

Elk populations throughout the Magic Valley Region are either at the high end or well above population objectives outlined in Idaho’s Elk Management Plan. For example, the Pioneer Zone elk population is nearly 30% above the upper population objective established in the plan (2,700 elk over objective).

Calendar years 2018 and 2019 were record years for elk depredation complaints and compensation paid for elk damages in the Magic Valley Region. In 2018, department biologists responded to 155 elk depredation complaints on standing and stored crops, and as a result, processed and paid 21 elk damage claims in excess of $1.5 million directed by Idaho law and using hunter’s license funds.

In response to increasing elk populations and depredation complaints, the department commissioned a research project in 2018 and partnered with University of Idaho to investigate new and existing techniques to prevent and alleviate elk depredations.  The research focused in areas with a history of chronic elk depredation, including many areas in the Pioneer and Smoky-Bennett zones in the Magic Valley where large or repeated claims occurred.

The research evaluated four treatments:

• Sharp-shooting as a way to change elk behavior by potentially changing their migration/feeding behavior
• Fence modifications to deter or exclude elk from crops
• Taste-based repellent sprayed on crops to discourage foraging
• Use of hounds to haze elk off of standing corn, a key depredation concern

Sharp-shooting was employed in Game Management Units (GMUs) 32, 44, 45, 52 and 52A.

The total number of elk harvested during the research was 206. (Ten additional elk were killed as a result of depredation management actions unrelated to the research project.)

One of the properties in Game Management Unit 44 where sharp-shooting was implemented with a large number of elk removed resulted in a 77% reduction in damage claims from the previous year (previous year’s claim was a record claim in the history of the depredation program).

Table 1. Total number of elk harvested during research sharp-shooting treatments during summer 2019. 

Statutory Background:

In 1990, Idaho lawmakers enacted legislation establishing a cooperative program among landowners, IDFG, and sportsmen to limit damage caused by wildlife. The wildlife damage law specifies that landowners and IDFG are to work cooperatively to prevent as much wildlife damage as possible. When damages cannot be sufficiently reduced or prevented, landowners can file a claim for compensation for the damage. IDFG pays compensation for four types of damage: 

• crops (plants grown or stored for profit) damaged by pronghorn, deer, elk, or moose,
• use of privately owned rangeland forage (plants grown for livestock feed) by pronghorn, deer, elk or moose,
• livestock (domestic cattle, sheep, and goats) destroyed by black bears or mountain lions or delisted grizzly bears,
• berries, bees, beehives, and honey damaged or destroyed by black bears or delisted grizzly bears on private land.

Jim  L. Patrick jpatrick@senate.idaho.gov Statehouse (208) 332-1318 (Session Only) Committees: Commerce & Human Resources – Chair Agricultural Affairs Resources & Environment

Idaho continues to cut government red tape

Senators and Representatives gather with Governor Little during the signing of two executive orders

Idaho Legislators joined Governor Brad Little last week in signing the first two executive orders of the year, aiming to keep Idaho regulations to a minimum and easy enough for Idahoans to understand.  These two executive orders build on Idaho’s achievements last year when the state reduced and simplified 75 percent of its red tape, becoming the least-regulated state in the nation.  President Pro Tempore Hill of the Idaho State Senate stated, “We cleaned out the mess. Let’s keep this clean so in another 20 years the new governor won’t need to do what’s already been done.”  Speaker of the House Bedke added, “We are committed to working with the Governor to reduce regulation.  We want to make Idaho as user-friendly as we can, and that’s what good government is all about.”

Executive Order 2020-01: Zero-Based Regulation requires state agencies to justify every regulation it wants to keep.  In order to stay on course, state agencies will review every rule chapter in effect on a staggered, five-year schedule—that’s 20 percent of rule chapters every year.  The objective is to prevent ineffective and outdated regulations that accumulate over time.

Executive Order 2020: Transparency in Agency Guidance Documents provides a point of contact, giving the public direct access to ask questions and give input on existing statutes or regulations.  This executive order also requires every active agency guidance document be posted on the agency’s website, providing a user-friendly approach for the public to access. In addition, agencies will submit a report every year to the Division of Financial Management, detailing which final orders and agency guidance are used and their purposes.  For more on these executive orders, click here.

STEM Day at the Capitol Rotunda

Idaho Legislators met with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) schools in the Capitol rotunda this week. The Idaho Legislature celebrated over 500 students throughout the state who participated in the “STEM Matters” programs. STEM schools focus on early learning and development in a collaborative and project-based environment.  

The goal of STEM is to create opportunities for educators, students, and communities to build a competitive Idaho work force and economy. STEM offers a hands-on approach to education with the objective to build critical thinkers, collaborators, and innovators with problem-solving capabilities. Click here to learn more. 

Idaho’s 2-1-1 Suicide Prevention number

This month, the 211 Idaho Care Line, currently operated by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, partnered with the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline to help those in need of immediate attention. Previously, the 211 Idaho Care Line directed callers to an operator who would then provide them a ten-digit Suicide Prevention Hotline number to call. Now people calling 2-1-1 can be transferred automatically to the Idaho Suicide Prevention hotline through a phone tree or by asking an operator.  Legislators have worked to increase suicide awareness and provide more resources to help.

The Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline is an invaluable tool in the prevention of suicides in our state. The hotline, available to all Idahoans, provides crisis intervention, emotional support, resource referrals, links to local services, and follow-up for those at risk along with their families and loved ones. Click here for more information.

1st in median household income growth

According to the US Census Bureau, Idaho had the highest growth in median household income in the nation, by far, from 2017 to 2018.

7th best state for business

According to US News & World Report, Idaho ranks seventh in the nation for doing business in the state, measured by states with the lowest tax burden and most venture capital investments.  Between the years 2016 and 2018, Idaho had the highest business birth rate in the nation.

8th in GDP growth

State Capitol  |  P.O. Box 83720  |  Boise, Idaho 83720-0081  |  (208) 332-1000