Public Comment Period Extended & Memorial Day Message
Public Comment Period Extended & Memorial Day Message
I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.
Last week, after more than 100 farmers and individual land owners protested the possible designation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of over 2,500 acres of land in Franklin County as critical habitat for the White Bluffs bladderpod, Congressman Doc Hastings wrote Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe requesting a sixty day extension for public comment on the ESA designation. He has now received confirmation that Fish and Wildlife will extend the public comment period for six months. Hastings says he will be pressing the Service for more answers before final decisions are made.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has this Memorial Day message.
VILSACK: This Memorial Day I hope all Americans will take a moment to honor the service of those who have lost their lives defending our nation. America is a beacon of freedom and democracy today in no small part because of those who throughout history stood in defense of our values and principles. At USDA we understand the special contributions of rural America to our armed services. More than six million veterans live in rural America, and a disproportionate number of today’s service members hail from small towns and rural communities. USDA staff across America, including more than 10,000 veterans, work hard everyday to strengthen services in rural areas that help veterans and their families. This includes everything from health clinics and telemedicine services to distance learning opportunities and training for those who want to start a farm or ranch. I’m proud that today more than forty percent of our new hires at USDA are veterans. This Memorial Day weekend I hope that all Americans will take time to honor those who lost their lives in service to our nation. We’ll never forget their sacrifice and we won’t let up in helping those who have served.
I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.
