SUMMIT BRINGS TOGETHER RANCHING AND SPORTSMEN'S GROUPS TO DISCUSS MUTUAL CONCERNS

MISSOULA, Mont. (November 11, 1998) – More than thirty representatives of ranching and sportsmen’s interests, as well as federal government agencies met October 22-24 to seek cooperative approaches to issues ranchers, hunters and anglers have in common, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) said.

"We needed to sit down and work hard on specific problems and their solutions," said Lynn Cornwell, a rancher in Glasgow, Mont. and chairman of the NCBA Federal Lands Committee. "Sportsmen and ranchers have a great deal in common, and our combined strength to address resource issues is great."

The Summit built on a similar event a year ago where general areas of common interest were discussed between sportsmen and agricultural interests. Hosted at the headquarters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, this year's Summit dealt with three specific issues and sought ways the various interests could work together to solve related problems, as they were defined by the attendees:

1. A multiple use policy for public lands: "Multiple use is a challenge to implement because people disagree about the definition and/or legal interpretation, the compatibility of uses, the concept of sustainability, and how resource management decisions are made. The process that implements a multiple use policy is subject to challenge because society’s interest in and values regarding public lands are constantly changing. A further challenge to implementing multiple use policy is trying to balance multiple short-term demands vs. long-term sustainability."
2. The fragmentation of land in the West: "There is an increasing number of non-traditional land owners, a decreasing size of landholdings, and/or changing land uses as a result of economic pressures on traditional ranching operations."
3. Riparian and rangeland health: "There are some riparian and rangeland areas on public lands that have been damaged by livestock and wildlife due to a lack of implementation of effective management. If these natural systems do not function properly, multiple use management is limited or problematic. However, various historical activities and complex resource conditions can make restoration and management more difficult. Overgrazing is often perceived as widespread rather than a situational occurrence. There is a serious shortage of resource management professionals within the agencies available to implement on-the-ground range management solutions and monitoring for positive results."

Jim Mosher, conservation director of the Izaak Walton League of America, whose group worked with NCBA and other sportsmen's groups to organize the meeting, added: "Our various groups spend tremendous resources battling each other, when often our objective is the same – a healthy public land base. By working hard and being open to each other’s needs and interests, we made significant progress at this Summit toward creating a better world for all who value our public lands."

Because rancher-sportsmen conflicts are often mischaracterized as an attempt by sportsmen to get all ranching off public lands, the assembled group issued the following statement:

"Properly managed livestock grazing is a legitimate use of suitable public lands and is compatible with wildlife and habitat conservation. Our organizations support the multiple-use concept. However, we understand the inherent conflicts caused by multiple use of public lands, and recognize confrontational methods of trying to influence the multiple use decision process have contributed to much of the identified conflict. Our organizations pledge to work cooperatively to address public land use issues."

The following organizations attended the Summit and are committed to working on the issues presented here:

• American Farm Bureau Federation
• American Sheep Industry Association
• Bass Anglers Sportsmen’s Society, Inc.
• Bureau of Land Management
• International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
• Izaak Walton League of America
• Montana Department of Fish & Game
• Montana State University Extension Service
• Montana Stockgrowers Association
• Mule Deer Foundation
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Public Lands Council
• Quail Unlimited
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Safari Club International
• Texas Farm Bureau
• Trout Unlimited
• USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Resources
• USDA-Forest Service
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Bison Range
• Utah State University
• Wildlife Management Institute
• Wildlife Society

The participants all agreed that continuing the work begun in Missoula is critical. A first step will be convening three sub-groups to work on specific Summit outcomes. The next meeting for all participants of this on-going dialogue will be at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in March 1999. Other groups with conservation and/or ranching interests who are committed to resolving conflicts can join this dialogue by contacting NCBA or Roper Starch Worldwide, Inc.

-- NCBA --

Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.