For Immediate Release: September 8, 2014

PA Farm Bureau Opposes Adding Common Bat to Endangered Species List

(Harrisburg) Pennsl!ania Farm "ureau (PF") and t#e $meri%an Farm "ureau Federation &arned against
adding a %ommon bat spe%ies to t#e 'ndangered Spe%ies $%t ('S$) list( PF" told t#e )(S( House *ommittee
on +atural Resour%es in Harrisburg t#at su%# a listing %ould seriousl disrupt ,arm and business operations
&it#out addressing t#e sndrome &idel labeled as t#e %#ie, t#reat to t#e +ort#ern -ong 'ared (+-') "at(
./it# a range o, 08 states and t#e 1istri%t o, *olumbia, and t#e ,a%t t#at t#is spe%ies o, bat is 12 to 20 times
more %ommon t#an ot#er non3listed bats in some areas, t#e potential s%ope o, t#is listing and t#e impa%t on
agri%ulture %ould be unpre%edented,4 said 5im "ruba6er, &#o is a member o, Pennsl!ania Farm "ureau7s state
board o, dire%tors and %#air o, its +atural and 'n!ironmental Resour%es *ommittee(
8#e )(S( Fis# and /ildli,e Ser!i%e proposed prote%ting t#e +-' bat in response to a ,ungal in,e%tion t#at
e9perts sa #as 6illed appro9imatel si9 million bats in t#e )nited States o!er t#e past ,e& ears( "ruba6er told
t#e %ommittee t#e listing &ould %reate an undue ,inan%ial burden, &#ile not addressing t#e root problem,
identi,ied as &#ite3nose sndrome(
$s +-' bats ma6e t#eir #omes in trees, barns, %abins, bridges and s#eds a%ross t#e state, "ruba6er testi,ied
t#at pla%ing t#e bats on t#e endangered list &ould ad!ersel impa%t a broad range o, industries and a%ti!ities
in%luding natural gas and &ind energ de!elopment: appli%ation o, pesti%ides, inse%ti%ides and #erbi%ides:
#ig#&a %onstru%tion: and timber #ar!esting( In addition to t#e %ost o, delas and lost business, a !iolation o,
t#e 'S$ %arries %i!il penalties o, up to ;22,000 per !iolation, %riminal penalties o, up to ;20,000 and one3ear
imprisonment per !iolation(
"ruba6er told t#e %ommittee t#at agri%ulture is more t#an &illing to &or6 &it# states and t#e ,ederal
go!ernment to #elp ensure t#e longe!it o, t#e long eared bat( ./e &ant pra%ti%al solutions t#at &or6 ,or
agri%ulture and t#e en!ironment,4 "ruba6er said( .-et7s ma6e sure &e7re sol!ing problems, not %reating ne&
ones(4
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the states largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of nearly
60,000 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.