Gov. Mead and Legislators Address Wyoming Agricultural Issues

CASPER, Wyo. — Governor Matt Mead plans to continue pressuring federal officials to address what he describes as a broken Endangered Species Act and inadequate wild horse management practices in Wyoming.

Mead addressed ranchers at the annual winter meeting of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, emphasizing that while Wyoming leads in agricultural and federal lands issues, several key matters remain unresolved.

“As we battle the federal government on many different things from sage grouse to wild horses, it is great to be able to say, ‘We aren’t just complaining; we’re doing something in Wyoming,’” Mead said. “We value open space, we value agriculture, and we’re doing something about it.”

The governor stated his intention to continue litigation to pressure the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Congress to consider alternatives for wild horse management.

Federal officials gathered over 1,200 wild horses from the checkerboard lands of southwest Wyoming in September. The agency spends more than $80 million nationwide on wild horse management, and the BLM’s long-term holding facilities in Rock Springs are nearing capacity.

“They don’t have the resources needed to properly manage wild horses,” Mead said. “We have to make sure that the wild horses are appropriately managed, and we have to make sure the BLM has sufficient funding to do that.”

Following the release of his supplemental budget request earlier in the week, Mead urged legislators to consider a shift in state spending for the coming year.

“It’s important for us to continue to be conservative, but also fund those things that build Wyoming,” Mead said. “The fact of the matter is, our job is not to be a bank. Our job is to make sure our citizens are in a good place.”

Several Wyoming legislators participated in a forum on agricultural issues facing the Legislature at Wednesday’s meeting.

Rep. Hans Hunt, R-Newcastle, Wyo., introduced proposed legislation to increase spending on technical education in the state.

Hunt explained that his proposal would mirror Wyoming’s Hathaway Scholarship program for the University of Wyoming, aiming to provide financial support for students in agricultural and technical fields.

“It’s got to where we are neglecting the elective courses, particularly agriculture and vocational technical classes,” Hunt said. “There are a lot of kids out there who have a lot of potential, but they don’t have an interest in studying math and science.”

Newly appointed agriculture committee member Leland Christensen indicated that the panel would continue work on a bill banning the use of natural resource data obtained by trespassing on private lands.

The bill establishes the crime of trespass to unlawfully collect resource data, with penalties of up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine for a first offense, and a sentence of 10 days to a year in jail for repeat offenses.

“If you collect that data unlawfully, it can’t be used,” Christensen said. “We recognize that that really only works at the state level. If they take that information out of state, we can’t really control what the feds have in their books.”

Mead joined Wyoming’s federal delegation in opposing the Endangered Species Act during the convention. Members of the Wyoming delegation pledged to continue efforts to amend what they consider flawed legislation after the holiday recess.

Originally Posted By Billings Gazette