As another year draws to a close, the Montana Livestock Loss Board says Montana ranchers once again faced economic losses due to livestock predation.
George Edwards is the Executive Director of the Montana Livestock Loss Board which provides financial reimbursements to livestock producers for losses caused by predation. He says 2018 has been a hard year for Montana ranchers.
“On the state’s budget year which starts July 1st, we’ve already spent $159,000 of our $200,000 appropriation for the entire year that has to last until June 30th,” said Edwards. “So, the money is actually going out faster than what’s coming in. Luckily, we had a reserve account from when our board only paid wolf claims that allowed us to have some carryover money. And now we’re having to dip into reserves as well as last year.”
He says now there’s a new predator that’s eating away at their budget.