Farm Bureau Wins in Identity Protection Legal Battle

February 14, 2000

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and the Texas Farm Bureau have won again in court action to protect the identities of farmers and ranchers receiving predator control assistance through USDA’s Wildlife Services. The action came in a federal district court in Waco, Texas.

U.S. District Judge Walter Smith expanded and modified a preliminary injunction issued Nov. 15 barring release of any information from USDA that could identify farmers and ranchers with whom the Wildlife Service has cooperative agreements. The order specifically prohibits the release of personal information, such as telephone numbers, street addresses, towns or cities, counties, acreage or other identifying characteristics.

The Forest Guardians, an animal rights group, had asked for the information under the Freedom of Information Act, and AFBF says release "was imminent" as of late December. That led both Farm Bureau groups to seek an expansion of the Nov. 15 injunction.

Farm Bureau attorneys argued that ranchers face potential threats, intimidation, harassment or personal or property attacks from animal rights or environmental extremists if the information was released. One rancher testified that he had expected privacy when he entered into the cooperative agreement with Wildlife Services and would not have signed had he known the information would be released.