Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

The Animal Damage Control (ADC) program has had a long history dating back to 1885. ADC was officially established in 1931 under the United States Department of Agriculture. In 1939, the program was moved to the United States Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1996, ADC was transferred back to the USDA and placed under the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The mission of the Animal Damage Control program is to provide federal leadership in managing problems caused by wildlife. Current program assistance includes: a) technical assistance in wildlife management; b) conducting research and development activities related to wildlife damage control; c) providing a source for a variety of animal damage control tools; d) development and transfer of scientific and technical information on wildlife damage issues; e) helping obtain migratory bird depredation permits; f) providing training sessions on wildlife damage management issues; and g) registering and maintaining chemical products for wildlife management.