Jun 4, 2019Idaho potato grower Don McFarland awarded $1 million for elk damage
Idaho organic potato grower Don McFarland was awarded more than $1 million by the state government because elk damaged his crop.
McFarland’s Little Camas Ranch in Elmore County suffered significant losses of organic Kamut wheat and organic potatoes when eaten by 500 elk, reported Bill Schaefer for the Idaho Falls Post Register. McFarland was awarded $1.028 million by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game from the Expendable Big Game Depredation Trust Account to mitigate his losses.
The large single payout has led to new legislation that would cap the amount that can be paid for such claims, reported the Post Register. Bill SB1151 would essentially keep payouts below $110,000, and also would limit payments to entities with family members, such as LLCs or partnerships, to 10%.
McFarland’s claim accounted for more than half of the $1.9 million in claims from the Expendable Big Game Depredation Trust Account.
Be sure to read the Post Register’s full story here. Bill Schaefer is the former managing editor of Spudman.