April 2022
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog; Threatened Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Two Distinct Population Segments and Endangered Status for Two Distinct Population Segments
The Sonoma County Farm Bureau, along with many other County Farm Bureaus, signed a letter written to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Field Supervisor that provides comments in opposition to the Service’s Proposed Rule to list four of six DPSs of the foothill yellow-legged frog in California. The letter speaks in support of the exclusion of the North Coast and North Sierra DPSs in the proposal and also requests that the Service consider further expanding the proposed 4(d) Rule.
March 2022
Senator Dodd’s Senate Bill Regarding Wild Pigs
Sonoma County Farm Bureau is working with Senator Dodd and his team on a bill he is proposing to manage the wild pig population. A UC Agriculture and Natural Resources white paper indicates that there is an estimate of $1.5 billion in economic damage nationally to agriculture and the environment from damages caused by feral pigs. The bill would remove the requirement for hunters to get hunting permits for pigs and would instead require wild pig verification registration. There are parts of the bill that need further clarification and consideration, and we have reached out to the Senator’s staff to discuss these items. Executive Director Tawny Tesconi was interviewed on February 7, 2022, on Fox 2 KTVU regarding the Senate Bill.
February 2022
Senator Dodd’s Senate Bill Regarding Wild Pigs
Sonoma County Farm Bureau is working with Senator Dodd and his team on a bill he is proposing to manage the wild pig population. A UC Agriculture and Natural Resources white paper indicates that there is an estimate of $1.5 billion in economic damage nationally to agriculture and the environment from damages caused by feral pigs. The bill would remove the requirement for hunters to get hunting permits for pigs and would instead require wild pig verification registration. There are parts of the bill that need further clarification and consideration, and we have reached out to the Senator’s staff to discuss these items.