The funding was released this month to the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District, the agency that will administer the program along with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, said Long Island Farm Bureau executive director Joe Gergela.

Over 70 farmers on the East End applied for the grant last year, Mr. Gergela said, and 66 were each awarded about $14,000 worth of fencing this year in order to curb the estimated $5 million in crop damage deer cause annually.

Riverhead vegetable farmer Lyle Wells, who said he spends about $10,000 a year on deer repellent, was one of the program's recipients. He said that until the Department of Environmental Conservation comes up with a better way to manage the deer herd, building fences to keep them out is "the only solution."

"But all that does is force them onto the neighbor's property," he said.

Peconic farmer and Southold Town Councilman Al Krupski agreed, saying he just doesn't have the energy to shoot deer under a nuisance permit after working on the farm all day. He, too, is getting fencing through the state.

"Because the state manages deer, then the state should be responsible for the damage the deer cause," he said. "Exclusion is the only way to control the herd right now."

Mr. Krupski said he favors "putting a price tag" on venison, which would create incentive and a cottage industry. But another problem for Long Island hunters has and always will be the close proximity of farm fields to residential areas, said Paul TeNyenhuis, district manager of the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District.

"Even with a nuisance permit, many can't shoot a gun or a bow and arrow, because they're too close to houses and main roads," he said. "The next best thing is to put up fencing."

Mr. TeNyenhuis added that many farmers tried to apply for the fencing program after the deadline last year, and that they will be notified when more funding becomes available.

eschultz@timesreview.com

Notice about comments:
The Riverhead News-Review is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Riverhead News-Review does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Riverhead News-Review. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Service and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.

Add your comments below:

Your name:

Your email:

Subject:


Comments:



Enter text seen above:

1 comments found

installing : 9/26/2009
could you please get me a number for someone in charge of the fencing or a contact im a deer fence contractor looking for work we travel please email me back thank you george riley

---