PRESS RELEASE

(9/20/2006)

South Dakota Stockgrowers Back Ferret Policy

Recent vote supports Pennington County opposition to reintroduction of ferrets in state

Rapid City ~ During their annual membership meeting held in Spearfish, S.D., September 15, 2006, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) voted unanimously to support the Pennington County Commission’s opposition to the reintroduction of additional ferret populations in the state.

SDSGA District 3 Director Marvin Jobgen, Scenic, S.D., says the Stockgrowers appreciate Pennington County for taking a tough stand against the expenditure of tax dollars on more ferret recovery areas before cleaning up the mess created by the overpopulation of prairie dogs on Forest Service and Park land.

“Like Pennington County Commissioners, the Stockgrowers are disgusted with the destruction prairie dogs have caused on federal lands and private property in and around Conata Basin. It’s ludicrous for government agencies to allow prairie dogs to destroy the habitat for every species of wildlife that exists in the prairie dog towns, all in the name of ‘saving’ the black footed ferret,” Jobgen said.

According to Jobgen the Stockgrowers oppose the re-introduction of any state or federal threatened or endangered species and/or experimental non-essential populations – plant or animal – unless the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association members and Board of Directors approve the action.

Jobgen said that the black footed ferret is not considered an endangered species in South Dakota, but is instead a “non-essential experimental population.”

“Because the ferret is a non-essential experimental population, there is no reason for our state to continue to suffer by being overrun with prairie dogs, just so the feds can operate their counterfeit ‘recovery’ programs.”