Posted on 08/20/2005 10:22:32 AM PDT by madfly
ARIVACA, Ariz. -- Jim Chilton is one of hundreds of ranchers targeted by environmental groups for allegedly allowing cattle to despoil the West's backcountry. Now Mr. Chilton is showing ranchers how to turn the tables on the green groups by using their own playbook.
The Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson is known for its lawsuits against ranching practices -- and for its methods of posting photos on the Internet that it says depict land destruction. So when the Center came after Mr. Chilton, he struck back with a defamation suit in Arizona Superior Court in Tucson last year.
He produced his own photos of lands the group claimed he spoiled in order to argue that their photos had exaggerated the damage. He snapped one photo, for example, of a hillside featured on the Center's Web site to show that what looked like barren earth was just a tiny patch surrounded by lush grass.
After a jury trial this year, Mr. Chilton was awarded $600,000, including $500,000 in punitive damages against the environmental group. "I had to decide whether I was a cowboy
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Kudos!
ping
This should be lubricated (no, hold the lubrication) and put right up the addresses of every whacko, corrupt, nutcase, eviro-nut group in this country!!!
Way to go Chilton!!
Good work Mr. Chilton! Who knows best how to care for the range but families that have cherished it for hundreds of years.
Here, you will learn about the cowboy way of life and how it is being threatened by a group of self-proclaimed environmental activists determined to eliminate cattle grazing. You will learn about how the Chilton Ranch runs cattle on the Montana Allotment and you will learn about a lawsuit where the Chilton family took on a group of these so-called environmentalists and turned the tables on them. You will learn about how scientific research supports cattle grazing and how our environmental laws need changing. You will not find anything for sale on this site, as this site merely seeks to educate the public.
Too bad John Edwards can't be sued and bankrupted for all the defamation he did to the ob-gyns who used to be able to practice in his neighborhood.
Thanks. I wasn't sure if we could post full text of stuff from the WSJ .
Thanks for the ping!
Ping!
Way to go Mr. Chilton!
This makes my day!!!!!!!!
It's way past time we sued all the anti american groups into the ground.
What a great story - thanks for posting it.
Chilton Ranch
>
In 1888, the Chilton family ancestors arrived in Arizona driving several hundred cattle. The first Chilton Ranch was established near the pioneer town of Livingston, along the Salt River, where Roosevelt Lake is now.Jim Chilton grew up on Arizona farms and ranches. He graduated from Camp Verde High School and went on to earn three degrees in economics and political science. (B.S., M.S., M.A.) from Arizona State University. He met his future wife, Susan Chemnick, when she was elected freshmen class senator and assigned to the Senate Education Committee, which he chaired.
After earnings his degrees at ASU, Jim worked for the Salt River Project as an economic analyst. Thereafter, he joined the staff of Arizona's legendary U.S. Senator, Carl Hayden, before beginning his career in municipal financing. In the meantime, Sue continued her education at ASU and earned her Arizona teaching credential as well as a Masters in Spanish Language and Literature.
Jim, a rancher by heritage, became a full partner in the Chilton family ranching business in 1979 when he, his dad, and Ken, Sr., bought the Diamond Bell Ranch, west of Tucson. Ken had sold the 7 + A Upper Eagle Creek Ranch, located in the area where their Cosper ancestors had been pioneer ranchers in the late 1800's. (Brother Tom joind the ranch in 1979.) In 1987, Jim and Sue purchased a ranch and home just south of Arivaca. They purchased the neighboring Flying X ranch in 1991 to expand the production capability of the family enterprise.
The Chiltons have been Cooperators with the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) since 1980. Upon buying their Arivaca ranches, that include two allotments on the Coronado National Forest, the Chiltons implemented a grazing management program providing for rotation of cattle to ensure re-growth and an increase in desired native perennial grasses. They greatly expanded their resource data collection, starting in 1996, by undertaking a detailed riparian survey. In 1998, they invited Professor Jerry Holechek, of NMSU, and Dr. Dee Galt to do monitoring, utilization and production studies on-site.
The Chiltons did extensive photo monitoring and information collection on native plants and wildlife on their ranch. All of this data became very relevant in their battle to renew their grazing permits against the determined, repeated assaults of anti-ranching activists.
One of Jim's allotments, the "Montana", became the object of intensive attacks and the focal point of the (court case) he recently won against the Center for Biological Diversity. A Tucson jury found the Center guilty of malicious, knowing misrepresentations concerning the conditions on the well-managed allotment. The jury also found that the Center for Biological Diversity unlawfully interfered with the Chilton family's ranching business.
Sue was named by Governor Jane Hull to serve a 5-year term on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. She spent five years working to improve relations between the Game and Fish Department and rural residents who provide wildlife habitat.
Jim was named Rancher of the Year in 2003 by the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association. (In 2005, he received the "True Grit" award from the Arizona Cattle Growers' and the "Individual of the Year" award from the Arizona/New Mexico Coalition of Counties. He currently serves as one of Arizona's delegates to the National Public Lands Council that advises Congress on ranching issues.
Jim and Sue raised two sons, James K. Chilton, III and Thomas Carl Chilton. Tom married Jennifer Carnes, whom he met while they were both attending the University of Arizona. They have two children, Ben and Mykenna.
Ken, III is Executive Vice-President of Chilton and Associates, a municipal financial services company, with offices in Arivaca and Los Angeles. Ken is CEO of Chilton Lending Company and its subsidiaries.
You're welcome. His Attorney, Kraig J. Marton, emailed me with this info. Great way to start the day!
"It's way past time we sued all the anti american groups into the ground."
Use their tactics against them and turn loose the lawyers. This is really the only way to make them think twice before they file.
BTTT
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