The huge population of deer in Kentucky is causing big problems for KFB on two fronts: (1) Farmers are seeing more and more crop damage caused by hungry deer, and (2) deer are causing a tremendous amount of vehicle accidents, costing KFB Insurance millions of dollars in claims paid.

The sight of deer has become quite common along Kentucky’s roadways, but farmers also are taking a big hit as the deer invade croplands. The problem has become so prevalent that it has become the chief topic of policy resolutions from the county Farm Bureaus.

As a result, KFB has worked with the Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Kentucky League of Sportsmen on a piece of legislation to address the problem. House Bill 448, sponsored by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom McKee, establishes a process to make it easier for landowners to eradicate wildlife that are causing problems. The proposal would allow a landowner to have a designee to remove depredating wildlife. Current law restricts that  to just the landowner or tenant.

House Bill 448 also enables landowners to dispose of the animal on their farm without a permit or tag, streamlines the process of removing the carcass from the farm to have it processed or donated to charity and stipulates that inedible parts (such as antlers) may not be used for any purpose.