Two Oregon ranchers will serve five years in federal prison under terrorism statutes for setting preventative fires on their own land.
Oregon rancher Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven have already served time in federal prison for the less-than-140 acres of Bureau of Land Management land that was accidentally impacted by the fires.
Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue said “this is an example of gross government overreach, and the public should be outraged.”
Oregon Farm Bureau says the verdict is also hypocritical given Bureau of Land Management’s own harm to public and private grazing lands, which goes without consequence.
OFB says the decision will hurt the relationship many ranchers have worked to forge with the Bureau of Land Management and undermine the cooperative spirit most ranchers have brought to the bureau in helping the health of the range.
