The Nevada Farm Bureau said today that it and the Nevada Association of Counties are going to appeal U.S. District Judge Miranda Du’s recent decision in a lawsuit that sought to ensure the Bureau of Land Management better manages wild horse populations in Nevada.
The decision to appeal comes after the Thursday, March 12 decision by Du to dismiss the 2013 lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Interior that sought to require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage the horses and burros in accordance with federal law.
“The 2013 Nevada Association of Counties and Nevada Farm Bureau Federation lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Interior aims to protect Nevada’s rangelands, the state’s limited natural resources and the horse and burro populations,” said the Nevada Farm Bureau at that time.
Details of the appeal will be posted here when received.
“The significant overpopulation of wild horses and burros in Nevada has severe impacts on the health of horses as well as the ecological health and sustainability of Nevada rangelands. It also results in the degradation of natural springs and riparian areas and negative effects on native wildlife and vegetation,” said the Nevada Association of Counties and the Nevada Farm Bureau. “The lawsuit is intended to have the federal government comply with the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971 to ensure that Nevada’s public lands are protected and the wild horse and burro populations are properly managed.”
After the plaintiffs filed suit against the BLM, the BLM responded that it agreed with Nevada ranchers that horse herds are overpopulated and threaten ecosystem health. Federal attorneys said the BLM was unable to manage the horses because of budget cuts, current horse holding facilities were already full and because of the the congressional ban on the sale horses for slaughter.
