Restoring balance to environmental litigation is vital to America’s farmers and ranchers, says American Farm Bureau Federation. America’s farmers and ranchers embrace an ethic of resource conservation while producing food and fiber. But they are frustrated by inequity and lack of transparency in environmental activist groups’ misuse of litigation fee-shifting laws, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Testifying today before a congressional subcommittee, AFBF Director of Congressional Relations Ryan Yates said the need for oversight and reform regarding environmental litigation cannot be overstated. Yates told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment that a review of how environmental organizations take advantage of the legal system is ripe for timely review. Yates said the misuse of federal fee-shifting statutes by environmental groups has had harmful consequences that Congress never intended.

CFB Director of Federal Affairs, Zach Riley says Congress has a ripe opportunity to pass much-needed reform to environmental law that will make it more responsive to farmers and ranchers and better suited to protecting species and landscapes.

“Congress can bring transparency, accountability, and much-needed reforms to federal environmental laws with a YES vote on the package of legislation currently before the House Committee on Natural Resources. We urge our delegation to strongly support the package,” said Riley.

CFB submitted a letter of support to the Committee for the “modernization” package of 9 bills.