Grazing Bill Seeks Parity for Ranchers; Push to Delist Mexican Wolf Advances

A grazing bill is currently before the House Natural Resources Committee. Garrett Edmonds, senior director of government affairs with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council Director, weighs in on what the legislation could mean for producers.

“This legislation would essentially fix just the inequity among federal land permits. Currently, ranchers who who graze cattle on national grasslands do not have the same due process protections under the Federal Land Policy Management Act, otherwise known as FLIPMA, as other federal permittees have. This legislation would ultimately fix some of that language and have parity between all the permit ease, and that legislation is now awaiting a full vote by the full committee.”

One other issue is work to remove the Mexican wolf off the endangered species list.

"We had a markup in the House Natural Resources full committee, Congressman go SARS legislation, the enhancing safety for Animals Act, which would delist the Mexican Wolf, which impacts a lot of our producers in the southwest, in Arizona and New Mexico. We are happy to see this legislation advance. PLC and NCBA have been supportive of this legislation for similar reasons as we have been supportive of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. Ultimately, our producers face countless and increasing depredations year after year as it relates to wolves."

Garrett Edmonds with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Public Lands Council.