NFB has written Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus to express opposition to her proposed legislation HR 6635. The measure was introduced on February 8, 2022 and if enacted into law would ban the use of helicopters or fixed wing aircraft for Wild Horse and Burro gathers.
“The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is working to accomplish the difficult and long-overdue process of bringing Wild Horse and Burro populations to their Appropriate Management Levels (AML),” Nevada Farm Bureau President Bevan Lister of Pioche, NV wrote in his February 14th letter to Congresswoman Titus. “Congressional actions like HR 6635 would seriously thwart the activities that are being carried out to achieve AML for Wild Horses and Burro populations as well as eventually bring impacted landscapes back to a status capable of providing habitat for wildlife and all multiple use stakeholders.”
22,000 Wild Horses and Burros from over-populated herds would be gathered and 19,000 of these animals would be removed from the federally-managed lands, according to the 2022 Fiscal Year Plan that the BLM has announced. At least 2,300 animals would receive various fertility controls before being released.
Throughout the Western states where Wild Horses and Burros live on designated federally-managed areas the population estimates from a year ago place the numbers at 71,735 Wild Horses and 14,454 Burros. The total of 89,189 animals is well over three-times the maximum AML level.
Nevada has the biggest over-population of the West-wide totals. The Nevada estimates from last year indicated that there were 42,994 Wild Horses and 4,087 Burros. Maximum AML population for Nevada is 12,811. In other words, Nevada not only has nearly 60 percent of the Wild Horses and Burros in the West, but also is over three and half times over the number of Wild Horses and Burros that are supposed to be in the state.
Nevada Farm Bureau’s letter drew attention to that not only is the use of helicopters for conducting gathers more humane than other methods, it is also the only cost-effective management measure available for gathering the necessary size of animals over very open and difficult terrain.
Scholarship Opportunity
We are excited to announce the Dave Fulstone Scholarship is now open. The Dave Fulstone Scholarship is awarded through the Nevada Heritage Foundation an organization that supports education of Nevada’s youth in agricultural related fields.
The Dave Fulstone Scholarship is available to any student graduating from high school this year, a current college student or a trade school student who is furthering their education in a course of study pertaining to agriculture.
A successful candidate for the scholarship must be from a Nevada Farm Bureau member family. A completed application must be submitted and include a copy of your most recent transcript and two letters of recommendation.
Full application details and application forms can be found on the Nevada Farm Bureau website at nvfb.org or by using the direct link: Dave Fulstone scholarship: www.nvfb.org/articles/dave-fulstone-scholarship-2/
The Application deadline is April 1st.
Applications can be emailed to Julie Wolf at wolfranch1nv@gmail.com or mailed to:
Nevada Heritage Foundation Scholarship Committee
C/O Nevada Farm Bureau
Nevada Heritage Foundation
2165 Green Vista Dr Suite 205
Sparks, Nevada 89431
For more information, please call the Nevada Farm Bureau office at 775-674-4000.
By Brittney Money | Director of Communications