The impacts from wildlife on farmers is well documented in the May 2009 George Morris Centre paper, An Economic Update of the Wildlife Impact Assessment for Ontario Agriculture 1. That paper estimated the annual impact on farmers, from wildlife damage to both crops and livestock at $40.9 million. Of that total, approximately $1.5 million was for livestock and poultry losses to predation, leaving the balance of almost $39.5 million for crop losses. For many Ontario farmers, these losses are unsustainable. However, the implementation of these proposed regulatory and administrative improvements will assist farmers by reducing the regulatory barriers to better mitigation of human ­wildlife conflicts.

The OFA has focused its comments on this broad-based iniative to modernize approvals to only those specific proposals that have direct impacts on day-to-day farming-related activities. Therefore, we have not commented on item 3, Proposed Regulatory Amendments related to Possession, Buying or Selling Wildlife or item 4, Proposed Regulatory Amendments related to Wildlife in Captivity.