As part of the Obama administration’s effort to avoid listing the greater sage-grouse as an endangered species, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today $21.8 million in additional financial assistance to help eligible farmers and ranchers in Wyoming conserve critical greater sage-grouse habitat.

Over the past two years, USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service’s Sage Grouse Initiative has obligated $112 million in financial assistance to conserve sage-grouse in 11 states, including California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, Vilsack noted.

In March 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the greater sage-grouse biologically warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, but because of the need to address higher-priority species first, the FWS placed the sage-grouse on the candidate list for future action.
* [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fact Sheet on the Greater Sage-Grouse](http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/sagegrouse/GreaterSageGrouseFactSheet2011.pdf)