LIFESTYLE - Red Ants Pants creator Sarah OUTPOST EVENTS CALENDAR Calhoun presents in West Yellowstone, B1 For up-to-date local events Page C1 & C4 THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS Montana’s Oldest Publishing Weekly Newspaper. Established 1873 75¢ | Volume 141, Issue 12 www.madisoniannews.com Thursday, January 17, 2013 FWP Commission adopts BRRRRRR!!! brucellosis working group recommendations Ben Coulter statement is the threat brucel- The Madisonian losis presents to the region’s
[email protected] livestock industry. The disease limits marketing options for live- During a December 10 stock produced in the designated meeting in Helena, the Montana surveillance area because of the Department of Fish, Wildlife stigma associated with brucello- and Parks commissioners unani- sis. As a result, landowner toler- mously adopted fundamental ance of elk is affected by the in- guidelines for elk management creased direct and indirect costs in areas with brucellosis. associated with repeated testing, The guidelines were pre- possible quarantine and changes sented by the Elk Brucellosis in land use due to disease regu- Working Group, a panel of 12 lation. volunteers. The group was tasked The working group also by the FWP Commission with raised issue with elk manage- identifying a problem statement, ment tools developed by the fundamental objectives and po- FWP commission because of tential management options for coordinating actions or a lack elk populations where brucello- thereof by multiple agencies, ju- sis has been identified and there risdictions and interest groups is concern about transmission of associated with the management Photos by Ben Coulter the disease to domestic livestock.