CLICK HERE TO VIEW CURRENT ISSUE

Stay Informed
with these

Services
Agri Marketing Update
e-newsletter sent each Monday and Thursday
@AgriMarketing on Twitter
Farm Show Guide
Marketing Services Guide
Books:

National Agri-Marketing Association
NAMA Website
Upcoming Events
Chapters
Agri-Marketing Conf
Best of NAMA 2024












VIRTUAL FENCING TECHNOLOGY PROVES TO BE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL BOON
Source: Property and Environment Research Center

BOZEMAN, MT - Today the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) released a new report in conjunction with Beyond Yellowstone - Unlocking the Conservation Potential of Virtual Fencing: A Policy Framework for Supporting Innovative Land Management - analyzing the effectiveness of pioneering virtual fencing technology while proposing policy opportunities to integrate these solutions as a conservation tool.

The report brings together the collective recommendations of leading conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Audubon Society, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and more, plus emerging technology partners and leaders from the ranching and agricultural community.

A promising alternative to barbed wire fragmenting the landscape, virtual fencing technology consists of a series of signal towers and GPS collars worn by livestock within geo-fenced areas, allowing for increased flexibility for ranchers and eliminating physical barriers that disrupt wildlife migration patterns. But despite growing popularity among Western states and widespread support from conservation organizations, policy solutions for the nascent technology have been limited due to several existing barriers impeding the practice's adoption.

In an effort to address these challenges, the study examines the current virtual fencing policy opportunities and provides recommendations for widespread advancement of its uses. Virtual fencing encompasses considerable conservation benefits such as increased landscape connectivity, reduced wildlife migration impediments, protection of sensitive riparian areas, lower risk for predation, and increased control of livestock management, to name a few. Some key policy recommendations to advance the practice include:

· Integrate virtual fencing into federal conservation programs

· Promote flexibility in federal programs and grazing rules

· Streamline permitting and reduce regulatory barriers

· Improve agency coordination and consistency

· Establish and fund pilot projects in high-value conservation areas

PERC has been a leading voice in virtual fencing policy solutions, hosting the first and largest of its kind workshop in conjunction with the Beyond Yellowstone Program that gathered top experts and stakeholders from the agriculture, conservation, government, and technology communities. Earlier this week, PERC launched the first Virtual Fence Conservation Fund in the country - a quarter-million dollar initiative created to enhance wildlife conservation by empowering ranchers, landowners, and conservationists to adopt virtual fencing technology on both public and private lands.

"Virtual fencing marks the beginning of a revolution. This new technology puts conservation and innovation at the forefront of this next generation of land management practices," notes PERC CEO Brian Yablonski. "As we're already noticing across several case studies, the adaptability, flexibility, and cost-savings provided by this technology are crucial in promoting resilience and conserving habitats across private and public lands."

To read the full report, visit perc.org/virtualfencing.

ABOUT PERC: The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) is the national leader in market solutions for conservation, with over 40 years of research and a network of respected scholars and practitioners. Through research, law and policy, and innovative applied conservation programs, PERC explores how aligning incentives for environmental stewardship produces sustainable outcomes for land, water, and wildlife. Founded in 1980, PERC is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and proudly based in Bozeman, Montana.


Search News & Articles










Proudly associated with:
SIIA AM&P Canadian Agri-food Marketers Alliance National Agri-Marketing Association
Agricultural Relations Council National Association of Farm Broadcasters Agricultural Communicators Network Livestock Publications Council
All content © 2025, Henderson Communications LLC. | User Agreement