Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his intent to sue the Biden Administration over a rule protecting the lesser prairie chicken, and called out the Oklahoma Farm Bureau for a lack of leadership on an issue of such importance to rural Oklahoma.
Drummond descends from a family of Osage County cattle ranchers and won a competitive primary election by dominating the vote in rural parts of the state. Drummond’s opponent, former Attorney General John O’Connor, touted endorsements from various agriculture groups despite having no personal connection to farming or ranching.
In the press release announcing his intent to sue, Drummond said he was “disappointed” that the Farm Bureau had not reached out to him as other agricultural groups had done.
“While I have been encouraged by many conversations and actions with various groups, I am disappointed that the Oklahoma Farm Bureau has not contacted my office or me personally on this critical matter,” Drummond said. “If this organization truly represents the interests of rural Oklahomans who will be affected by this detrimental rule, then I expect to see leadership, not fence-sitting.”
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and the American Farmers & Ranchers of Oklahoma issued strong statements of support for Drummond’s leadership.
“Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association (OCA) is grateful to Attorney General Drummond for his strong leadership to push back on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s egregious listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. As a rancher, AG Drummond knows full well the great work cattle producers do each day to preserve and promote robust wildlife habitat on their ranches. The ESA listing does nothing to recognize the great work of Oklahoma ranchers instead. OCA looks forward to working with AG Drummond on this important issue.”
Scott Blubaugh, AFR Cooperative President, weighed in as well.
“AFR stands with AG Drummond and his lawsuit against U.S. Fish & Wildlife in regards to the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as an endangered species and the regulations and restrictions that accompany that listing,” Blubaugh said. “Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers are the ultimate conservationists; no one knows about best conservation practices for their properties better than they do.”
In a Feb. 2 letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and USFW Director Martha Williams, Drummond noted that the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) has worked closely with federal agencies, industry leaders, private landowners, conservation groups and other stakeholders to protect the lesser prairie chicken and its habitat.
The letter provides a 60-day notice of the intent to file litigation for failing to follow Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act with regard to the Final Rule the USFW issued Nov. 25, 2022.
The rule, which is scheduled to take effect March 27, would place burdensome restrictions on Oklahoma ranchers needing to graze livestock, as well as unnecessarily impede development of energy pipelines, oil drilling, wind farms, and roads.
“This is yet another example of federal overreach by the Biden administration,” Drummond said. “Environmental activists wielding the authority of the federal government can have disastrous consequences for farmers, ranchers and energy producers. As a fifth-generation cattle rancher, I am committed to protecting our way of life, which feeds our state and nation with minimal environmental impact.
“This rule presents an existential threat for cattle grazing, energy production, and other vital aspects of Western Oklahoma’s economy,” Drummond said.
Drummond encouraged all affected individuals and organizations to reach out to the Office of Attorney General in an effort to give the State the best chance to prevail.
“We must come together with one voice as Oklahomans to stand against a hostile and overreaching federal government,” Drummond said. “It is my duty and my honor to lead this fight.”
