Ag Groups Rally Congress to Prevent Buyout of Grazing Leases

Washington, D.C. (October 8, 2003) – Members of the House of Representatives are being asked to oppose efforts to introduce legislation which would authorize a “buyout” of grazing permits on federal lands. A letter signed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Public Lands Council (PLC) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) was sent to every house member late yesterday urging support for “continued multiple use of public lands and opposition to federal grazing permit buy-out legislation.”

The buyout program would allow a federal grazing permittee to “sell” their permit back to the federal government. The associated grazing allotment would then be permanently retired from domestic livestock grazing use. Costs for the buyout program have been estimated at $3.3 billion, and the measure is reportedly being proposed by Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.).

Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colo.) sent a “dear colleague” letter on September 25 urging members of Congress to oppose the buy out legislation. McInnis says the effort is being urged by radical environmentalists whose aim is to end grazing on public lands.  In addition, he says “these groups have vigorous and well-funded legal teams that bankrupt ranchers while delaying and obstructing extensions of their grazing permits.”

McInnis also described many of the benefits of public lands grazing. “Many communities in the West are heavily dependent on ranches and public lands grazing, so eliminating grazing on public lands or similar steps toward that goal disproportionately impact the West.” 

Federal land grazing plays an important role in many rural economies. “Forty percent of Western beef cattle inventories spend some time grazing on public lands,” says Jeff Eisenberg, PLC executive director and director of federal lands for NCBA. “Federal land grazing helps economically support individual families as well as communities in which ranching is important.” 

In addition, the preservation of rural landscapes and open space native to the West is at issue.  The American Farmland Trust reports that 11 percent of all prime ranchland in the Rocky Mountain West, which translates into nearly 9 million acres, is threatened by conversion to residential development by 2020. 

“Other important benefits of public land grazing,” says Eisenberg, “include fuel-load reductions, which is particularly important at a time when the nation is trying to develop new approaches to managing fires on public lands.  Grazing can also help control the spread of noxious weeds, which is a serious problem in our nation.”

“Existing law sets the proper balance for the multiple uses of our public lands,” the letter says.  “It is shortsighted to change this balance.”

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