Reps. John Rose (R-TN-06) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09) recently introduced the bipartisan Black Vulture Relief Act, which would give producers more flexibility with black vulture management.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) hailed the bill’s introduction.
“Across the country, cattle producers are coping with extreme input costs and the worst inflation rate in 40 years,” said NCBA Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes in a statement. “Livestock deaths due to black vultures are a financial loss that no one can afford right now.”
The bill would allow the take of vultures that pose a risk to livestock. The bill would also create a report that is submitted by producers once a year detailing the number of vultures they took.
“Streamlining the system and lifting the cap on (the) number of black vultures that producers can take is a commonsense approach to managing a fully recovered, aggressive predator species,” the statement read.
The bill also has the support of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, a state which has seen a high increase in depredation rates.
