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Family farmers and ranchers believe TESRA is a positive step toward improving a 30-year old

law that is seen by many landowners as more "stick" than "carrot". In the past 31 years, more than

1,300 species were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Only 10 have

actually been recovered.

"The ESA must be modified to actually recover threatened and endangered species," said

Alliance President Pat O’Toole, who ranches on the Colorado-Wyoming border.

"Too often we see the ESA employed by anti-farming interests as a means of reallocating water

away from agriculture and toward perceived environmental needs," O’Toole said. "This is not

helping fish and wildlife and it hampers efforts to accommodate the growing water needs of the

West."

"This is a much needed and long-overdue legislative effort to begin the process of updating the

ESA," said Dan Keppen, the Family Farm Alliance’s Executive Director. Keppen testified in

Washington, D.C. on June 22 before the House Water and Power Subcommittee on individual

impacts of the ESA.

"The Family Farm Alliance strongly affirms the goals of the ESA," Keppen said in his

testimony. "However, this 30-year old law could stand some targeted reforms, including commonsense

changes to make it work better, minimize confusion, and discourage litigation."

"TESRA comes at the right time and is a step in the right direction towards meeting these

necessary improvements," added O’Toole.