The Agriculture Committee heard testimony Feb. 3 on a bill that would repeal the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Act.<\/p>\n
LB128, introduced by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, would repeal the act, which was passed by the Legislature in 2012. Chambers said the management act does not take into account that prairie dogs are indigenous to Nebraska and an important part of the state\u2019s ecosystem. Instead, he said, the act was modeled on noxious weed laws, which are designed to completely eradicate invasive species.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, when you use that as a model,\u201d he said, \u201cthe mindset is that you are to exterminate all of these animals.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition, he said, the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Act allows counties to violate the rights of property owners who may want prairie dogs on their land, by authorizing the management of colonies based on complaints from neighboring land owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo law, in my opinion, should be passed by the Legislature totally discounting the right of a person who owns property based on the complaint of a neighbor,\u201d Chambers said.<\/p>\n
John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, testified in support of the bill. The act that it would repeal leads to a \u201cheavy-handed\u201d approach to prairie dog management and puts a strain on counties and on relationships between neighbors, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not support this [act] when it was passed in the first place,\u201d Hansen said, \u201cfor the very same reasons \u2026 that Sen. Chambers has already listed in his presentation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert Bernt, an organic farmer from Wheeler County, also testified in favor of the bill, saying there are ways to manage prairie dogs short of eradication. In addition, he said, a complaint by a neighbor that results in poisoning by the county could ruin business for an organic farmer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf poisons were found on our land, we\u2019d lose our organic certification for at least three years,\u201d Bernt said, which would result in a loss of $400,000 in income.<\/p>\n
Larry Dix, representing the Nebraska Association of County Officials, testified in opposition to the bill. To date, he said, Sheridan is the only county to adopt the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Act. Landowners there have worked cooperatively to stop problems before they reach the stage of county intervention, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince Sheridan County put this in place \u2026 there\u2019s not been one complaint,\u201d Dix said. \u201cIt is working; it can work. I think Sheridan County has proved that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee took no immediate action on the bill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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