Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, the Endangered Species Act, or ESA, as we call it, imposes numerous burdensome and duplicative regulations on America's hardworking farmers and ranchers. This adversely impacts their ability to provide food not only to America, but, of course, to people all around the world.

We all know that activist groups are employing sue-and-settle tactics to further their ideological agenda to increase the number of species listed under the ESA. As the ESA list grows, however, farmers and ranchers are forced to shift their primary focus from food production-- which we all need them to focus on--to navigate and comply with bureaucratic hurdles threatening their very livelihoods.

My amendment would require the Secretary to consider the totality of conservation measures already in place when determining whether a potential Federal action will jeopardize species or habitat loss. Our Nation's farmers and ranchers already opt to participate in conservation programs. They do so voluntarily. They implement protections and mitigation factors on their land, and they do everything they can to protect habitat and wildlife.

Our agricultural community proactively promotes conservation measures, and they seek guidance from the USDA on best practices. But the ESA has expanded far beyond the original intent of the law, and it has become a serious problem.

The time has come for us in this Congress to modernize the ESA, which will ease the difficulties farmers and ranchers face when bearing the brunt of undue burdens placed on agriculture. To that end, my amendment to H.R. 2 takes a holistic approach to protecting species and preserving habitats, ultimately helping America's farmers and ranchers go back to doing what they do best, and that is providing a safe, sustainable food source for our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It is a matter of fairness and common sense.

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