FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 4, 2014

CONTACT: Laramie Adams, Cell: 512-922-7328

Fort Worth, Texas – Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) president, Pete Bonds, today made the following statement after the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced they have listed two Texas shiners, the sharpnose and smalleye shiner, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

“TSCRA is opposed to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to list the sharpnose and smalleye shiner on the endangered species list,” said TSCRA president, Pete Bonds. “Ranchers and other agricultural producers are proud stewards of our country’s land and natural resources, yet remain the most adversely impacted by ESA listings and critical habitat designations. We are concerned the listings will lead to additional land use regulations, which threaten our nation’s important agricultural industries. TSCRA will continue monitoring these issues and doing everything possible to protect and preserve landowner’s private property rights.”

The new listings will designate approximately 623 river miles of river segments occupied by the sharpnose and smalleye shiners in Baylor, Crosby, Fisher, Garza, Haskell, Kent, King, Knox, Stonewall, Throckmorton, and Young Counties in the upper Brazos River basin of Texas as critical habitat, as well as the upland areas extending beyond the bankfull river channel by approximately 98 feet on each side.

TSCRA submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opposing the listings in October 2013.

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TSCRA is a 137-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 16,000 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 50,000 individuals directly involved in ranching and beef production who manage 4 million head of cattle on 76 million acres of range and pasture land primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, but throughout the Southwest.