by Shiloh Perry
During the final weeks of the Obama administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service listed the
It means that the
Now more than ever, it is time to reform the ESA to protect and ultimately recover threatened and endangered species. Reform is necessary because there are clear shortcomings associated with the upkeep and recovery rate of listed species.
Congress intended for the ESA to protect species from extinction. However, the law fails to accomplish this,
Conservation is extremely important to America’s farmers and ranchers. Modern farming technologies reflect this, as does agriculture’s involvement in volunteer conservation efforts at the state and local levels. Farmers and ranchers consider it their personal responsibility to be stewards of the land.
While agriculture greatly values conservation, the ESA creates many challenges for farmers and ranchers and often limits agriculture production. Many farms and ranches used for crop production and raising livestock contain habitat which sustains wildlife, including threatened and endangered species.
Another primary cause of ESA-related conflicts is the law’s litigation-driven model. The statute allows special interest groups to sue anyone believed to be in violation of the act. Too often radical environmental activists target citizens, frequently farmers and ranchers, who practice positive conservation efforts. Resulting legal costs disrupt the rural economy, are burdensome to taxpayers and provide no resources for active species conservation and recovery efforts.
Challenges associated with the ESA need to be fixed in order to truly protect species threatened by extinction. Reform should include a focus on species recovery and habitat conservation that respects landowners and prioritizes basic human needs over those of endangered species. Coordination with state wildlife agencies to leverage private, incentive-based conservation efforts can better achieve long-term conservation goals. The protection of private property rights, the economic impact of recovering endangered species and the costs of designating critical habitat must be considered.
ESA reform is paramount not only for the true preservation of threatened and endangered
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Shiloh Perry is a communications assistant at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Source: AFBF Communications, Focus on Agriculture