Congressional committee drops harmful farm bill amendments (4/29/2002)

Agreements have been reached in conference committee to remove two amendments to the 2002 Farm Bill that would have threatened sportsmen’s rights. The bill now awaits approval from the full House and Senate.

The Farm Bill, provisions of which provide funding for important wildlife programs that benefit sportsmen (including the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program), passed both houses of Congress and was then sent to conference committee to settle differences in the bills. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance worked diligently to have two amendments removed from the bill.

The first amendment would have required people breeding and selling dogs to provide "socialization" to puppies. On its face, the amendment would have applied to only commercial dog breeders. However, the Doris Day Animal League, a national animal rights organization, recently won a lawsuit that could redefine what constitutes a "dog breeder" to include anyone who profits from the sale of a puppy. By that strict definition, the socialization requirement could have applied to any person who sold even one litter of puppies, severely impacting sporting dog enthusiasts from fox hunters to field trialers.

The second amendment would have banned the sale of bear parts. Anti-hunting groups have long argued that the Asian market for bear parts puts American black bears at risk. In truth, no state wildlife agency has reported problems with black bear populations in connection with the sale of bear parts. Moreover, the amendment would have federalized the management of black bears – removing wildlife management authority from the states.

"We are very pleased that the members of the conference committee listened to the concerns of sportsmen and took steps to protect our hunting heritage," said U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance President Bud Pidgeon. "Sportsmen owe them a thank you for not bowing to pressure from extremists. We are confident the House and Senate will now pass this Farm Bill."

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