Dear [Representative],
Given the expanding range of many large carnivores, including reintroduction efforts throughout their historic range, the need for additional wildlife-livestock conflict prevention work and livestock depredation compensation support for producers is rapidly increasing.
Yet, Federal funding to support non-lethal conflict prevention work and supplement sate-level livestock depredation compensation funds has remained relatively flat, and nowhere near enough to meet the demand. For instance, the Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Project Grant Program, referred to as Tester funds after Montana Senator Jon Tester, who championed them, generally receives around $1 million annually. It is often nearly fully expended in only a handful of western states and has not seen its funding level increased since its inception in 2009.
Durable conservation requires wildlife management strategies that are informed by and supported by those living in wild and working landscapes. Building that support requires funding on the ground, and it also requires capacity in state and federal agencies. By utilizing a grant program to state agencies to implement non-lethal conflict reduction methods, the ACE Act strengthens local relationships that benefit both rural communities and wildlife.
Sincerely,
[Your Information]