Controversial Feedlot Proposal for 5,000 Wild Mustangs in Wyoming

Controversial Feedlot Proposal for Wild Mustangs

Equine Elite LLC, a South Dakota-based company, has proposed a controversial plan to build a massive feedlot in Wyoming to house up to 5,000 wild horses. This proposal has raised significant concerns aboutanimal welfareand environmental impact.

Background and Proposal Details

On May 6, 2020, Equine Elite LLC, co-owned by a businessman with a history of predatory lending practices, secured a local statute change in Laramie County, Wyoming. This change allows the construction of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) on an 80-acre property under a contract with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

TheBLMis expanding its holding capacity in anticipation of accelerating the roundup and removal of horses from public lands, following a $21 million budget increase from Congress last year. This has attracted business people andlivestockoperators seeking lucrative government contracts to hold captive mustangs in large feedlots.

Equine Elite LLC and Martin A. Webb

Equine Elite LLC was formed in March 2019 by Jimmy Dean Reeves, Janna Hickman Reeves, and Martin A. Webb. While little is known about the Reeves, Mr. Webb has been involved in high-interest lending schemes across the country, leading to numerous lawsuits and millions in restitution payments.

Mr. Webb has now shifted his focus to warehousing wild horses. Equine Elite petitioned Laramie County to relax its CAFO permitting requirements, which the Board of Commissioners approved on May 5, reducing the consent radius from three miles to one mile despite local concerns about waste, smell, and water usage.

Additional BLM Wild Horse Feedlots

TheBLMis currently analyzing proposals for short-term holding facilities before awarding contracts. Another feedlot is planned by the Kent Cattle Company in Utah to hold up to 1,000 wild horses on 15 acres in Millard County.

According to the latest data, theBLMmaintains over 36,000 wild horses and burros in long-term facilities and nearly 12,000 in short-term pens. If awarded contracts, Equine Elite and Kent Cattle Company will join other private operators profiting from theBLM's warehousing system.

Financial Implications and Concerns

Short-term feedlots cost significantly more than long-term pastures, leading to substantial profits for contractors. Critics argue that theBLMshould invest in humane, cost-effective fertility control programs instead of expensive warehousing systems that may lead to financial collapse and potential slaughter of excess horses.