Heinrich, Luján Introduce Legislation to Help New Mexico Farmers & Ranchers Access Virtual Fencing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led the introduction of the Fencing Eligibility for New Conservation Equipment (FENCE) Act, legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), to allow farmers and ranchers to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funding for virtual fencing.

Virtual fencing technology allows for the controlled movement and grazing of livestock through GPS-enabled collars that deliver audio cues and electrical pulses; replacing physical infrastructure that often interferes with wildlife migration patterns. Currently, ECP reimburses producers for the cost of repairing or replacing fencing but only physical fences and not virtual fences. Heinrich's FENCE Act will allow producers whose fences have been damaged by natural disasters to employ virtual fencing, leading to more efficient livestock management and protecting wildlife habitat connectivity.

"As a kid, I helped repair fences on our small calf-cow operation, and I know exactly how time consuming it is. As a sportsman, I've also seen how built infrastructure can dramatically alter wildlife migration corridors," said Heinrich. "My FENCE Act ensures producers in New Mexico and across the country can access federal funding for virtual fencing technology, helping them manage livestock more efficiently while also restoring the landscapes wildlife rely on."

"Farmers and ranchers in New Mexico and across the country are looking for smarter, more flexible ways to manage their operations and care for the land they depend on," said Luján, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. "The FENCE Act helps open the door to innovative tools like virtual fencing, giving producers more options to improve efficiency, strengthen recovery efforts, and support responsible land stewardship. I'm proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation and look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver the technologies our farmers and ranchers need to succeed."

Specifically, the FENCE Act will:

• Authorize USDA to include virtual fencing as an option for farmers and ranchers to utilize under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP).

• Currently, the ECP covers up to 75% of the cost of the restoration or replacement of permanent agricultural fences.

• Allowing for "new or emerging technologies" under the program will provide another resource for farmers and ranchers to opt into.

• ECP funds would only be able to be used for virtual fencing if the cost of installing virtual fencing was not more than the cost of repair or replacement of the original permanent fencing.

Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is led by U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). Alongside Luján the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

The full text of the bill is here.

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