Can sheep experiment station be saved?

A day after news began circulating that the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station just north of Dubois could close, some are trying to stop this from happening.

Congressman Mike Simpson announced Friday that he is asking the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture to block the closure of the station, which studies sheep breeds.

Some say the station’s closure would be a major set back for local ranchers, who are depending on the research conducted there to prevent sage grouse from being listed as endangered.

“They’ve done a lot of research as far as what the grazing of sheep does and how it impacts the sage grouse, from what I understand, and if they decide to list the sage grouse, then it’s gonna restrict some of the grazing that the people that have cattle and sheep in our county — just have a devastating impact on it,” said Dubois Mayor Randy Meade.

The sheep station is the second largest employer in Clark County, and its closure would mean the loss of 21 jobs – five percent of the total number of jobs in the county.

Meade said the station could close sometime in November.