WASHINGTON (September 10, 2024) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) announced their strong support for the ESA Amendments Act of 2024, introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR). This legislation would reform the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to provide more timely conservation efforts on America’s rangeland.
“For too long, the Endangered Species Act has been weaponized to list species under non-science-based criteria to the detriment of real conservation. Farmers and ranchers have witnessed the harm that comes from politically motivated species listings and the dangers that come from recovered predators that become a direct threat to producers’ personal safety and economic success,” said NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele. “NCBA is proud to endorse the ESA Amendments Act of 2024 and thanks Rep. Dan Newhouse and Rep. Bruce Westerman for their work to improve the ESA. This bill will make the ESA a real tool for conservation, foster transparency and accountability, and ensure that the environmental contributions from farmers and ranchers are properly recognized.”
As the ESA has had its scope widened over the years, it is now coming in direct conflict with established science on wildlife conservation. There are now peer-reviewed studies showing that cattle help wildlife and the landscape by building robust habitat and increasing available forage through grazing. Current ESA rules can reduce critical conservation work, limit the presence of cattle on working lands, as well as hurting wildlife and the overall ecosystem. The ESA Amendments Act is the product of years of stakeholder meetings and input, designed to provide regulatory relief to ranchers and help support rural communities that can be negatively impacted by the ESA.
“Since it was passed into law over 50 years ago, the Endangered Species Act has undergone several rulemakings that have weaponized this conservation tool against ranchers and working lands. The ESA Amendments Act of 2024 will safeguard the efficient operation of farms and ranches across the West and stop government red tape from getting in the way of extensive, voluntary conservation work already happening on our public lands,” said PLC President and Colorado rancher Mark Roeber. “This bill would modernize the ESA and help reform the law to make it an effective conservation tool, once again. The Public Lands Council and ranchers across the West thank Reps. Dan Newhouse and Bruce Westerman for introducing this legislation to give significant regulatory relief to livestock producers.”
