11-17 IAN e-mail Response 1

Apparently I hit a hot button when I did a story that let you folks know that the Bureau of Land Management was going to release the names of ranchers who were using public lands to graze their cattle. I strongly objected to the release of names. Here’s an e-mail and response from Wyatt Prescott, Executive Director of the Idaho Cattleman’s Association. By the way, I won’t release the name of the e-mailer but here it is:

 “As a watershed member, I would be glad to explain the importance of this exchange of information.  It is about educating and bringing awareness to the damage presented in these ecosystems.  Just because cattle have grazed BLM lands for forever and a day, does not mean it goes without problems.”

 (Wyatt) “The truth is there’s no damage, it’s actually to the conservation element that grazing brings to those ecosystems. I guess my biggest rebuttal to that would be, they have no interest in that. It’s not Western Watershed’s mission. All they want to know is how easily they can litigate these producers out of business. This information just makes their job one step easier. That’s their whole strategy and logic behind wanting this information.” There you have it…fair and balanced. I e-mailed the e-mailer and never got a response.