Greater slaughter of bison feared

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2002

A provision in the farm bill under debate in the Senate could lead to the slaughter of more bison in Yellowstone National Park, according to critics.

The measure would grant greater authority to the Department of Agriculture to manage diseases such as brucellosis. As a result, National Park Service officials and environmentalists say this will give the department and the state of Montana greater license to kill bison.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) introduced the provision but his spokesperson told The New York Times it was an oversight.

Under a plan finalized during the Clinton administration and signed by former Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt, wildlife officials in Montana are allowed to kill bison that wander out of the park. The state Department of Livestock said yesterday 21 would be slaughtered for testing positive for brucellosis.

Get the Story:
Diseased bison ordered killed (AP 4/19)
Farm Bill Could Mean Killing of Sick Bison in Yellowstone (The New York Times 4/19)
Username: indianz.com, Password: indianz.com

Relevant Links:
Yellowstone National Park - http://www.nps.gov/yell
Honor the Earth - http://www.honorearth.org
The Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative - http://www.intertribalbison.org
Montana Department of Livestock - http://www.liv.state.mt.us

Related Stories:
Judge wants bison records released (4/18)
Bison policy protested (4/5)
Yellowstone bison protester arrested (3/7)
Yellowstone bison protesters arrested (3/5)
Test better at finding brucellosis (3/1)
Six Yellowstone bison killed (1/9)
John Potter: Murdering Bison (12/17)
Changes leading bison out of Yellowstone (10/11)
Editorial: Concerns over buffalo plan (9/4)
Groups seek bison slaughter records (7/30)
Grazing policy challenged in Mont. (7/11)
Groups sue to halt bison slaughter (5/11)
John Potter: Yellowstone Buffalo, Wolves (3/26)
Yellowstone bison slaughter resumes (3/23)
Yellowstone bison to be slaughtered (3/16)
Bison difficult to vaccinate (02/05)
Yellowstone wolves face death (01/04)
Yellowstone bison agreement finalized (12/21)
Agreement on bison near (12/08)
State releases bison plan (11/17)
Vaccine sought for bison (10/19)
Bison face threat from wolves (10/16)
Comments on bison slaughter extended (10/3)