Cattlemen Ask for Help with Grazing Access

U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ), and Southwest Regional Forester Harv Forsgren joined southwestern cattlemen for a tour of ranching areas within Tonto National Forest in Arizona on Tuesday.  Forest Service Director of Range and Timber Jeanette Kaiser and National Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist Mike Somerville were also in the group.

Key members of the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association and Jeff Eisenberg, executive director, Public Lands Council (PLC) and director of federal lands for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), coordinated the visit to offer policymakers a first-hand account of the challenges being faced by ranchers in the Tonto area. Eisenberg hopes the visit emphasizes the need to address resource and grazing issues on both public and private lands.

“Our ranchers have suffered a drastic reduction in the number of cattle they’re able to graze on Forest Service land in the Southwest for various reasons,” says Eisenberg. “We are grateful this group is taking the time to meet with cattlemen in Arizona to hear their concerns.”

The Forest Service has reduced Animal Unit Months (AUMs) in that area by nearly 80 percent in some cases, and Eisenberg hopes the tour illustrates the negative impact of that decision of the Tonto ranching community. The meetings also gave ranchers an opportunity to share their personal stories. 

The tour included some on-the-ground sight visits to ranches on the Tonto, as well as in-depth discussions between the Forest Service permittees and the Chief about grazing on the Tonto.  “I firmly believe people working together is how we’re going to solve the difficult problems facing ranchers in the Southwest,” Bosworth said.

Congressman Renzi, a member of the House Resources Committee, has been supportive of the needs of cattlemen. At NCBA’s Spring Conference, Renzi told attendees a way needs to be found to keep cattle on the lands.