The following is a press release from the MFBF:
The Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) has filed a motion to intervene in another case in which Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Defenders of Wildlife and other environmental activists are suing the federal government to stop wolf delisting. Farm Bureau members have substantial constitutionally protected economic and property interests that may be materially affected by the outcome of this litigation. Delisting was included in the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act and signed by President Obama.
“Our membership consists of thousands of Montana ranchers, farmers, and concerned citizens who have interests directly impacted by the proper or improper management of wildlife populations in Montana, including gray wolves,” notes MFBF Executive Vice President Jake Cummins. “Our members own and operate farms and ranches in those areas of Montana inhabited and traversed by gray wolves where their cows, sheep and even their pets have become prey for these vicious predators. Montana farmers and ranchers depend upon state and federal agencies to control the number and location of gray wolves in order to protect their livestock and pets. Wolf-livestock conflicts and the damage caused by changes in migration and feeding locations by other wildlife species, such as elk, have increased significantly because of the uncontrolled growth of the gray wolf population.”
Cummins notes that MFBF has a keen interest in the management of the gray wolf population.
“If delisting is declared unconstitutional again, our members will suffer,” Cummins noted. “Farming and ranching is a mainstay of the Montana economy and the increased presence of wolves has created a lot of uncertainty on what it takes to raise livestock safely in our state and has taken an emotional and financial toll on our members.”
Cummins says MFBF has been working with different groups over the past 20 years on wolf recovery and it’s time to delist the wolf. “The Endangered Species Act has worked as it was supposed to. We have a whole lot of wolves, now it’s time to delist them. The fact that, once again, certain groups are opposing the delisting even though populations have recovered shows that they don’t really care about the wolf. It’s all about land-use control and raising huge amounts of money by still pleading the wolves’ case in places like Los Angeles and New York City.”
Source: MFBF
Posted by Haylie Shipp
