FB Press Release

Gabriel A. Hegyes (ghegyes@oz.oznet.ksu.edu)
Thu, 07 Dec 95 13:28:56 -0800

> American Farm Bureau Federation
>
> News Release
>
> Contacts:
>
> Don Lipton
> (202)484-3624
>
> Dave Lane
> (202)484-3610
>
> FB: IMPROVED ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT WOULD ACHIEVE GOALS
>
> WASHINGTON, August 3, 1995--Making the protection of endangered
> species a positive deed instead of a negative one would save the
> Endangered Species Act's reputation and make it more effective, Farm
> Bureau told a Senate panel today.
>
> Carl Loop, president of the Florida Farm Bureau and American Farm
> Bureau Federation vice president, told members of the Senate
> Environment and Public Works Committee that landowners in his state
> are keenly aware of threatened and endangered species, since Florida
> ranks third nationally in the number of affected species.
>
> Loop said changes to the 23-year-old statute must benefit both
> threatened and endangered species as well as humans.
>
> "Changing the focus of the Endangered Species Act from negative to
> positive is a key element of this process," the Florida nurseryman
> told the panel. "People have to respect species because they want
> to, not because they have to. A big part of this attitude
> transformation is a recognition and respect of private property
> rights.
>
> Changes to the law, such as adoption of voluntary incentives for
> habitat protection--known as a critical habitat reserve
> approach--and compensation paid to landowners for species protection
> efforts, could help satisfy farmers, ranchers and environmental
> groups alike.
>
> Loop also recommended the reauthorized ESA include provisions that
> ensure:
>
> * Species listing determinations are supported by sound
> scientific evidence.
> * Proposed listings are accompanied by a species management plan
> and cost-benefit analyses are performed before actions are
> taken.
> * Habitat modification not be considered a taking; private
> landowners should not be prevented from use of their property.
>
> "Enactment of these provisions will move the Act back toward
> accomplishing its primary purpose-- the recovery of species in
> danger of becoming extinct," Loop said. "Moreover, it will
> accomplish this without creating the bitterness that has marked the
> listing of some species."
>