WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, a coalition of conservative agriculture organizations including the Institute for Legislative Analysis “Center to Protect Ranchers”, Farm and Ranch Loss Assessment Group, LLC, Competitive Markets Action, the Organization for Competitive Markets, and Competitive Markets PAC, Founders PAC, called for an investigation into Xcel Energy – a Fortune 500 utility company operating across 8 states.
The coalition is demanding answers for why countless landowners, ranchers, and farmers – many of whom are now facing insolvency and bankruptcy – have still not been compensated for the enormous losses they sustained from the Smokehouse Creek Wildfire Complex, which devastated large portions of the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma. Xcel has since taken responsibility for the wildfire, the largest in Texas history and the fifth-largest fire in the U.S. since 1871.
Additionally, the coalition is calling for an investigation into Xcel’s radical woke Environmental, Social, and Governance(ESG) policies and wildfire resiliency efforts. A mere three years before the Texas fire, Xcel triggered the Marshall fire – the largest wildfire in Colorado history.
“After having personally surveyed the massive destruction across the panhandle and heard the stories from dozens of landowners, ranchers, and farmers, it is difficult to put into words what these folks have lost, the adversity that they have endured, and the suffering that continues today,” said Bram Browder, Director of the Institute for Legislative Analysis’ “Center to Protect Ranchers”. “When someone is forced to watch their homes, ranches, local businesses, and the animals they have raised all go up in flames in mere minutes, it is apparent why a suicide hotline dedicated to ranchers and farmers was urgently established immediately following the devastating wildfire. But unfortunately, that was just the beginning of their suffering. Now, 10 months later, many of these ranchers still have not had their claims paid by Xcel and are trying to hold on for dear life financially.”
“Ranchers can’t continue to take the heat for big woke energy utilities that put laughable ESG policies before the actual safety of the ecosystem, production models, and the best interest of those of us who put food on American plates,” said Taylor Haynes, a cattle rancher in Wyoming and President at the Organization at Competitive Markets. “We call on the State of Texas and the incoming Trump Administration to swiftly investigate the actions that led to these dire circumstances.”
”We stand strong beside the American ranchers and family farmers whose animals borne the brunt end of Xcel’s apparent negligence that continues to decimate livestock producers, and land owners in the Texas panhandle and across these great United States,” said Marty Irby, President & CEO at Competitive Markets Action. “Once again, big business and consolidated interests in the utility and agriculture spheres are creating unnecessary disasters that lead to producer loss and animal welfare issues in large populations of livestock – another threat to food safety and security in the U.S.”
According to S. Smith, one of the Texas ranchers who continues to suffer from the aftermath of the fire, “At one point there was a glimmer of hope for many of us within the community after Xcel took responsibility and made assurances they were going to pay out our claims. However, that hope has turned into despair since we have had no communication from Xcel for months. Plus, we have now learned Xcel has turned over the claims process to some 200-year-old New York litigation firm”.
The coalition urges swift action to ensure justice for the ranchers, farmers, and landowners impacted by Xcel’s actions. Their continued resilience in the face of devastating losses underscores the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and meaningful reforms in the utility and agricultural sectors. With the incoming administration and state leaders, the coalition remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for those who feed America and safeguard our nation’s food security.
The Center to Protect Ranchers (CPR) is a project of the Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Washington, D.C. As the only conservative organization dedicated solely to the ranching industry, the CPR works to strengthen transparency and accountability across four major issue areas impacting ranchers. The ILA is a national policy and research organization that serves as a data hub for a multitude of conservative and right-of-center organizations. https://limitedgov.org
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. True competition reduces the need for economic regulation. Our mission and duty are to define and advocate the proper role of government in the agricultural economy as a regulator and enforcer of rules necessary for markets that are fair, honest, accessible, and competitive for all citizens. https://competitivemarkets.com/
Competitive Markets Action (CMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit based in Washington, D.C., that was formed with the mission of shaping policy to promote more regenerative and sustainable agriculture, and competitive markets in the U.S., and to defend against attacks on states’ rights by the federal government. CMA works to raise awareness of the harm caused by multinational conglomerates to the American family farmer, the consumer, and our U.S. economy to bring about legislative and regulatory reforms. https://www.competitivemarketsaction.org/
- Smokehouse Creek Wildfire