Farm Bureau responds to Predator Control program court decision

The Nevada Farm Bureau Federation released the following statement today regarding the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recent decision to reverse the district court’s ruling brought by WildEarth Guardians in their lawsuit against the USDA’s Wildlife Services program.

“The Nevada Farm Bureau Federation is disappointed with the Court of Appeals decision to overturn the 2013 ruling and require the lower court to hear the case against the USDA’s Wildlife Services program. Our organization supports predator control management by the state and federal government. The Nevada Predator Control program is crucial to ensuring that a balance is maintained between predators and wildlife and livestock.

“An inaccurate claim has been made that the Environmental Impact Statement used by the Nevada Wildlife Services is outdated and needs to be reassessed. In 2011, a thorough EIS was done, containing 170 pages of newly collected data specific to the predator control program in Nevada.

“We want to ensure that current predator control program remains funded as it protects our farmers and ranchers’ livelihoods as well as wildlife across the state.”