Montana Farm Bureau Weighs in on 30x30 Land Grab Threat

"Help us fight the 30x30 land grab." That was the focus of a big meeting hosted by the United Property Owners of Montana, the Fergus County Livestock Association, and the Fergus County Farm Bureau in Lewistown, Montana recently.

Now, the American Farm Bureau Federation is weighing in. AFBF fired off a letter to President Biden outlining their concerns with the 30x30 initiative.

According to a news release from the Montana Farm Bureau:

AFBF: The American Farm Bureau Federation has called on the administration to act responsibly in conservation efforts. Specifically, President Biden’s goal to conserve at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030, commonly referred to as “30x30,” is raising questions. Three key requests are outlined in a letter to President Biden: that the administration provide clarity on the initiative; that the effort recognizes voluntary conservation efforts already underway; and that the administration seeks input from farmers and ranchers.

Click here to read the full letter to President Biden.

Kris Descheemaeker is the District 3 Director for the Montana Farm Bureau. She attended that recent meeting in Lewistown.

Descheemaeker: The 30x30 Initiative was done through an executive order January 27, yet there is not a lot of information forthcoming from the Biden Administration, which is making many farmers and ranchers wary. We heard the statistics that to get 30x 30, the federal government will need more than 450 million acres to get to the goal they set. That is twice the size of Texas.

We spoke with John Youngberg from the Montana Farm Bureau on Thursday's "Montana Talks with Aaron Flint."

Youngberg: It's raised the interest of our members nationwide. I mean, it's it's a topic of every phone call we have with our state presidents, with our national organization. We just sent a letter to the Biden administration asking for some clarification...you can throw a hand grenade out there, and say you're going to conserve 30% of the acreage by 3030, and then you don't include any kind of plan? Now, I understand there's an advisory committee, the climate change advisory committee is supposed to be putting some parameters or putting some some things in this plan, but when you start talking about a climate change Advisory Committee appointed by President Biden, it scares the heck out of our folks.

Click below for the full audio: