Senate confirms two F&G appointees; Siddoway warns of ‘millions’ in depredation damage to farmers, ranchers

The Senate has voted unanimously to confirm Gov. Butch Otter’s two nominees to the Idaho Fish & Game Commission, Greg Cameron and Jerry Meyers, but not without a long and pointed soliloquy from Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton. After the unanimous approval of Cameron’s nomination without debate, Siddoway rose to debate in favor of Meyers’ nomination.

“I think a lot of you have seen over the last year, year and half that there have been a lot of different ideas shared on how we could help with some alternate methods of funding the department,” Siddoway said. “I talked to Commissioner Meyers about this nomination and supporting him. And one of my primary concerns was the depredation of some of our farms and ranches that’s going on.”

Siddoway said wildlife is causing damage on farms and ranches year-round, from elk feeding on haystacks, to geese and sandhill cranes feeding on new seedlings, to problems with antelope and rabbits, to elk herds getting in and among cattle herds, which he said could pose the threat of spreading disease.

“It’s really, really important that we come up with some kind of a solution some way, and I don‘t know what it is, but I know it’s going to take all of us,” Siddoway said. “The little time I’ve spent a couple of times with Commissioner Meyers talking about these problems, and I think he is committed to look for some kind of a resolution. Because I think we’re talking literally millions of dollars of damage that our farmers and ranchers are suffering, and there’s been little or no compensation to those folks for that damage.”

Sen. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello, also debated in favor of Meyers’ nomination, saying he’s known him for 30 years. “This is a lawyer that has treed cougars up in the Salmon area with dogs,” Nye told the Senate. “He’ll be a great commissioner.”