AFBF Tells CNN Money ESA Ready For Reform

American Farm Bureau Federation’s Ryan Yates was quoted by CNN Money on Endangered Species Act reform. “Those who want to see the act reformed say some species stay listed too long even after they've recovered from the threat of extinction,” noted CNN Money. Yates, director of congressional relations at AFBF, explained: “Critics cite the gray wolf, which has made an incredible recovery in the West and Midwest since being on the edge of extinction in the 1970s.” Despite this designation, the gray wolf remains listed as endangered. Yates said that's harmful to small family farmers, who frequently find roaming packs of wolves devastating their livestock. The farmers would violate the "take" protection by killing them. "Farmers are fearful of their lives, of their children's lives," Yates said. "And they're watching species like wolves sport-hunting their dairy cows."