Government Should Serve Citizens

When government acts, it should seek common sense solutions to people’s problems. But sadly, individuals too often must fight for reasonable responses from the federal government. In Washington, there’s too little understanding of the day-to-day realities of ranching, running a small business, or teaching children.

The Livestock Protection Collar program is an exception. It was created to help ranchers in their age-old face-off with predators. Those who signed contracts to enroll in the program have told me it is very successful. Based on those constituent assessments I have supported funding for the program in Congress.

Under this service, special collars are made available to livestock producers. Just under the outside layer of the collars there is a lethal poison that is released only when a predator bites the animal’s neck.

To anyone who has experienced firsthand the constant battle against coyotes and other predators, literally eating away at your livelihood, livestock collars are like a 24-hour sentinel that help keep a family operation profitable.

There have been unsuccessful efforts in Congress to eliminate this valued service. Now there is a new and different challenge.

A group of environmentalists in New Mexico won an initial court decision last fall that allowed them to collect and post on the Internet the names and addresses of Southwestern ranchers including many in Texas who are enrolled in this program.

There is concern among my ranching constituents that this action could subject them to harassment including damage to their property by members of environmental groups.

One group has already made a public spectacle of the names and addresses of New Mexico ranchers who use this service, but so far they have been blocked from posting the names of Texas ranchers.

The Texas Farm Bureau challenged this ruling on grounds that it was an invasion of privacy. The contract ranchers signed to join the program guarantees confidentiality, as is common with certain federal initiatives.

A judge in Waco has issued a restraining order preventing the Secretary of Agriculture from releasing Texas ranchers’ names and addresses until after a full hearing on the potential impact.

The Farm Bureau reports that a court date is expected this spring where they will represent ranchers in Texas and Oklahoma.

The Livestock Protection Collar program is an example of government working to help family businesses. It is unfortunate that special interest groups that could not win support to eliminate this program in Congress have turned to an unacceptably invasive tactic.