Interior Alaska farmers want fence for bison herd

According to a proposal reported by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, farmers in the Interior are being so affected by the Delta bison herd's appetite for crops that the state should protect about 100,000 acres of private agricultural land with fencing. An advisory group has proposed the idea to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, but no one yet knows how much the project will cost (think millions, though), who will pay for it, or who must ultimately approve it. "It's kind of pie in the sky," said a member of the working group. Even if a fence's future is shrouded by uncertainty, game managers are also proposing changes to hunting regulations for the Delta herd that would decrease its population and hopefully limit its impact on farms. A public meeting about these issues is set for this Thursday in Fairbanks at 7 p.m. in the Alpine Lodge. Read much more, here.