07/31/08 Two cowboys vs Uncle Sam part 2

When the BLM wanted to control water rights that ranchers like Tim Lowry and Paul Nettleton depended on the two Owyhee County ranchers went to court ten years ago. NETTLETON "First they told us 40 thousand and then they said it would be more like fifty. You know, they should have known better because they know how the government works. We didn't." Nettleton found out about government litigation, stalls and appeals and a legal bill that ended up at one and a half million dollars. EVANS "They should be rewarded for their courage. They have paved the way for a lot of other ranchers in Idaho." Attorney Elizabeth Evans thought the court should have awarded legal fees. Lowry says through it all, they wouldn't quit because they were right. LOWRY "We've got a water right now. That's never happened before. It's a precedent and I'm not real familiar with the law but at this point I would think anybody could use that precedent." With tax deductible donations of 50 thousand dollars from county Farm Bureau's and Idaho members the wheels are starting to roll. All 50 state Farm Bureau's and other agricultural entities are being made aware of what happened to these ranchers and its hoped more donations will come in. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott