APPLETON, N.Y. — Why do farmers need Deer Damage, commonly known as nuisance, permits? Do deer do that much damage? The short answer: Yes!
Let’s start with fruit farming. Today’s fruit trees are dwarf trees. Many of them are trellised because the trees are not strong enough to hold themselves and the fruit upright. When planted, the tree looks like a stick. The farmer then prunes the tree to have branches in a certain configuration. This allows the fruit to have sunlight help grow high quality fruit it and make it easy to thin so the fruit is the proper size. It takes about 3 years for a tree to produce a full crop.
Deer eat the young shoots. So, the pruning system has been disrupted. Also, the shoots that are gone cannot produce fruit. This set the tree back at least a year.
Planting trees is expensive. The sooner a farmer gets a crop, the sooner they have income. As with other businesses, farmers sometimes take out loans to plant the crops. That means there is interest expense to be considered. A study by the Cooperative Extension in New Jersey estimates that deer damage causes a minimum of 10% reduced profit to a crop. On study tripled that when the deer population is extremely high.
Deer, being herbivores, also devour a number of other crops. Cereal crops such as wheat, soybeans, and even root crops are targets. One of the differences between these and fruit is that these crops are planted annually. The damage for these crops is just for one year. Damage to young fruit trees can damage the tree for life. Most of the damage is found around the outside of the fields. Those areas tend to be closer to wooded areas that deer use for protection.
Are there other methods to prevent deer than getting Deer damage permits? Farmers sometimes hang bars of soap or dryer sheets around the outside of the field or orchard. The fragrances in them can fool some deer into thinking there is a person there. However, soap and dryer sheets are not labeled as pesticides. Therefore, they are illegal to use in New York according to the regulations. People have tried coffee grounds, garlic and other strong smells.
In order to receive Deer damage permits, farmers have to show evidence of deer damage. They make an application and are granted a certain number. Some years, they can reapply. It is important to note that they are only for anterless deer. Also, they can only be used outside the posted deer hunting season.
There are many factors that challenge farmers as they produce the food to feed us. The weather, consumer demands, and animal damage are all factors they consider when planting their crops. If you have questions, ask a farmer. He or she would be happy to explain things in more detail.
–Margo Sue Bittner
The Winery at Marjim Manor