Montana Farm Bureau frustrated at federal decision to keep grizzly bear as an Endagered Species

BOZEMAN–The Montana Farm Bureau Federation has expressed frustration at today’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announcement that they would not delist the Grizzly Bears in four Rocky Mountain states including Montana and Wyoming. Montana and Wyoming’s petition to delist the bears was denied, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stating they have a “new and comprehensive approach to long-term grizzly bear recovery in the lower 48 states and the concerns of those living with and near bears.”

“We are very disappointed that this agency has once again ignored science and moved the goalposts on recovery of this species,” said MFBF President Cyndi Johnson. “Grizzly bears have surpassed the recovery population goals in the Great Yellowstone and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems, and yet the agency still refuses to turn the management of the species back to the states creating deep frustration over the lack of acknowledgement for the work and sacrifice made by those who live and work these ecosystems.”

The Montana Farm Bureau will be working to ensure that the Service’s “new and comprehensive” expansion of the4(d) rule will be meaningful and that the Service’s “proposed revisions to the current protective regulations” truly will provide “additional management flexibility for authorized agencies and individuals experiencing conflicts with grizzly bears.”

“Let’s hope the next administration will take a hard look at how to manage this as a larger ecosystem that addresses challenges with habitat management and human bear conflict in an impactful way for those of us that live at the intersection of people and bear country,” said Johnson.

MFBF urges farmers and ranchers and those affected by human/grizzly bear conflicts to attend the USFWS public meeting January 28, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula with an informational portion from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. and the public hearing from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. In addition, public comments may be submitted through regulations.gov once the announcement is published in the Federal Register.

–Montana Farm Bureau