The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation recently obtained a statewide depredation permit for black vultures from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The MFBF statewide depredation permit provides livestock producers with the opportunity to apply for a Livestock Protection Depredation Sub-Permit, which allows legal “takes” of black vultures attacking livestock.
“We are proud to provide this service to livestock producers who have experienced losses due to black vultures,” MFBF President Mike McCormick said. “I highly encourage our livestock producers to apply.”
MFBF will administer the statewide permit. There is no cost to apply or to obtain the MFBF Livestock Protection Depredation Sub-Permit.
Applicants must agree to follow all rules and regulations required by USFWS in the MFBF statewide permit, including:
- Adoption of non-lethal measures to deter black vulture depredation
- Use of shotguns and “non-toxic” shot in the lethal “taking” of depredating black vultures
- Report “takes” to MFBF quarterly
- Use of black vulture carcasses as effigies in areas where depredation is occurring
MFBF will issue sub-permits to livestock operations only. Applications will be scored based on the information provided regarding past depredation history, proximity of black vulture roosts, number of livestock on the farm and the general livestock density of the area based on the most recent Mississippi Agricultural Statistic Service.
Producers approved for sub-permits will receive:
- A signed approval and sub-permit
- An allotted number of black vulture “takes”
- A copy of the MFBF statewide depredation permit
- Guidelines for removal methods
- A black vulture dispatch log
Producers experiencing extreme depredation and large black vulture roosts are encouraged to apply for an individual black vulture depredation permit with USFWS. Individual permits allow producers to be approved for a larger number of “takes” by USFWS. The cost of an individual depredation permit is $100.
Producers may apply for the MFBF Livestock Protection Depredation Sub-Permit by completing the application below and returning a signed copy to Melissa Holliday blackvultures@msfb.org. For more information, click here.
MFBF Livestock Protection Depredation Sub-Permit Application