Wildfire Update
Number of new large fires or emergency response: 12
Number of active large fires: 56
Acres in active fires: 2,103,454
Fires contained: 3
nifc.gov/nicc-files/sitreprt.pdf
Utah vs USA: Utah’s Case for State Ownership of Bureau of Land Management’s land
Earlier this week, the State of Utah filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court of the United States challenging the federal government’s authority to retain “unappropriated” federal land within the state. Since the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) was enacted, the Bureau of Land Management has overseen more than 35% of Utah’s land resources. This arrangement allows the BLM to generate revenue from land development which reduces the state’s ability to collect property taxes and other direct revenues, leading to a complicated management scenario that has often resulted in significant conflict.
Utah’s legal action is a logical next step for a state that has advocated for years to transfer control of many federal lands to the states. The state argues that the federal retention of unappropriated lands infringes on its sovereignty and requests the court to clarify whether FLPMA allows the federal government to permanently hold these lands. Utah defines “unappropriated” lands as those not designated for specific uses, such as monuments, wilderness areas, national forests, Tribal lands, or military properties, but does include lands used for grazing allotments. The state has been actively promoting livestock grazing and securing grazing access on state and managed lands and is likely to pursue similar goals if the Supreme Court rules in its favor.
If Utah’s lawsuit succeeds, it could significantly alter the way public land is managed in other Western states. The Utah complaint highlights that the federal government controls less than 1% of the land in states like Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, and less than 3% in states such as Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Governor Spencer Cox used the opportunity to highlight Utah’s natural beauty, boasting about the state’s renowned landmarks including Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Bears Ears.
“It is not a secret that we live in the most beautiful state in the nation. But, when the federal government controls two-thirds of Utah, we are extremely limited in what we can do to actively manage and protect our natural resources,” said Governor Spencer Cox. “We are committed to ensuring that Utahns of all ages and abilities have access to public lands. The BLM has increasingly failed to keep these lands accessible and appears to be pursuing a course of active closure and restriction. It is time for all Utahns to stand for our land.”
Without question, the ruling in this case will affect federal land management policy for years to come. PLC will keep you updated. In the meantime, contact us to be involved in the Multiple Use policy committee where policy around federal land management is developed.
Industry Assistance: Donate to ICA’s Wildfire Relief Fund
The Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) is currently accepting donations for its Wildfire Relief Fund, which supports beef cattle producers impacted by fires in Idaho this year. Established in 2022, the fund relies on annual contributions from AgWest Farm Credit, ICA fundraising efforts, and general donations. It is entirely funded through private contributions, with no public money involved.
Applications for relief funding are open until October 15, 2024. Eligible applicants include local associations, Idaho cattle producers, RFPAs, volunteer fire departments, and other organizations or individuals who assisted with the 2024 wildfires that affected livestock, property, or resources. Expenses covered may include emergency feed, transportation, fencing repairs, and more. ICA President Jerry Wroten says:
“Idaho’s beef industry is responsible for an estimated $2B annually into the state’s economy. Ranchers in Idaho are a vital component of our state’s history, culture and are the ultimate stewards of the land. Permitted producers graze cattle on our public lands that can’t be cultivated or utilized otherwise, while also contributing to a healthy ecosystem for soils, vegetation and wildlife and the end result is a nutritious & delicious source of protein – beef. The impact of these fires on cattle producers will be felt for many years and some producers may not ever financially recover if they don’t have access to relief funding assistance. The Idaho Cattle Association is here to support producers in a variety of ways, and this is just one of the most relevant during this fire season.”
For donations or to apply for relief, contact the ICA office at 208-343-1615 or visit their website at idahocattle.org.
#SageGrouseSummer
PLC has launched a summer social media campaign called #SageGrouseSummer. The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness, promote, and educate the public about the positive impact of cattle grazing on sage grouse populations through engaging and informative content across social media platforms. To find what PLC has to say about #SageGrouseSummer, please follow us on Instagram and Facebook! In sage grouse country? Share your photos with the #SageGrouseSummer hashtag!
Colorado “Stop the Ban Campaign” Needs Your Help
Looking for a way to help stop the Colorado ballot measure that seeks to ban slaughterhouses in Denver? The ballot initiative unfairly targets one employee-owned business in Denver and would be incredibly damaging for agriculture in the region.
The campaign is looking for volunteers to add a handwritten message to pre-addressed postcards to Denver voters. It’s easy to sign up – just email stoptheban@crlassociates.com and provide your mailing address. A packet of 50 postcards will be mailed to you with instructions and a return envelope. You’ll add the message to the cards (it takes about 2 hours on average) and mail them back to the campaign office (return postage is $4.01 – some post offices are charging up to $6.50) by September 20th. The campaign will then mail the postcards to voters in October. Studies have proven handwritten appeals to voters are extremely effective. Your help is critical to the campaign’s plan to defeat this ballot measure. PLEASE volunteer today.
Want to learn more about the initiative? Visit stopthebanprotectjobs.com
Sheep Market Report
USDA/AMS Weekly National Lamb Market Summary provides data on sheep, lamb, meat, wool, pelt, and international markets. Please use this link to access the most up to date report: ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswlamb.pdf
Cattle Health: Industry groups release video on public lands movement
criteria for FMD outbreak
ASI and NCBA Release Video on Public Lands Movement Criteria During FMD Outbreak | American Ag Network – The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) worked with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and other stakeholders to develop movement decision criteria guidance addressing unique scenarios that would arise for federal lands grazers in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. A 5-minute video describes the project and resources and can be viewed on the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply (SSWS) and Secure Beef Supply (SBS) websites under the Public Land Grazing pages. This has resulted from a multi-year cooperative project funded by a grant from the USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP).
Public Lands: UT releases map of public lands owned by BLM, demanding reallocation of unappropriated acreage; WY Governor criticizes BLM’s Rock Springs RMP proposal
Battle lines drawn in West over public lands, | Farm Progress – Utah has unleashed the latest salvo in an ongoing battle over federally managed Western lands, petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to end Bureau of Land Management control over about 18.5 million acres in the state. he suit filed Aug. 20 asks the high court to address whether the federal government can simply hold unappropriated lands within a state indefinitely, which the state argues the BLM is doing under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The lawsuit would not affect the millions of “appropriated” acres already designated as national parks, monuments, wilderness areas, forests, tribal lands or military properties, state officials said.
Wyoming Gov. Gordon unhappy with BLM proposal | Tri-State Livestock News – The Bureau of Land Management publicly released their proposed Resource Management Plan and final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for their Rock Springs Field Office in Wyoming and the governor is not happy. The plan outlines how the BLM will manage 3.6 million acres of federal land in southwest Wyoming.
Gov. Mark Gordon said the FEIS for the proposed Rock Springs RMP does not meet Wyoming’s expectations of durable, multiple use of public lands with 25% of the acres — just under 1 million — still slated for area of critical environmental concern (ACEC) designation. Gordon said stakeholder comments and recommendations helped claw this document away from the BLM’s preferred, absolutely unworkable, Alternative B, which favored conservation over all other uses.
Gordon said there is evidence that BLM considered local and cooperative input in places but chose to force through national agendas in others. He said the document must be compared to the current status on the ground, and not by how much it has shifted away from the BLM’s worst-case scenario. He said much work is left to ensure the BLM is staying within the bounds of state and county policies, as well as federal law. Wyoming Republican U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis said the plan is akin to the Biden administration pushing Wyoming off a cliff.
Oregon Governor requests designation of 2.5M acre “Oregon Grand Canyon”
Gov. Tina Kotek asks Biden to designate ‘Oregon’s Grand Canyon’ a national monument if Congress doesn’t | The Oregonian – Following nearly five years of negotiations and three attempts by Oregon’s U.S. senators to get federal protection for southeast Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is throwing her hat into the fight.
This month, Kotek wrote to President Biden, asking that he designate a large share of the 2.5 million-acre canyonlands and a stretch of the Owyhee River, often called “Oregon’s Grand Canyon,” a national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906 should Congress not pass legislation this year to protect it.
Congress has repeatedly failed to vote on proposals to protect the canyonlands under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Antiquities Act allows the president to designate areas national monuments if they hold cultural, natural or historical significance.
Wild Horse & Burro: BLM to gather horses in ID following wildfires
BLM to gather Idaho wild horses after Jump & Paddock fires | Idaho Capital Sun – Staff from the Bureau of Land Management Owyhee and Four Rivers field offices will perform an emergency gathering of wild horses from the Sands Basin and Four Mile Wild Horse Herd Management Areas next week. The areas were nearly completely burned by the Jump Fire, which resulted in 25,720 acres burned, and the Paddock Fire which resulted in 187,185 acres burned. There is no known loss of wild horses from the fires, but there is not enough vegetation to sustain the horses into the winter months, according to a BLM press release. The Sands Basin Herd Management Area is near Marsing, and there are about 40 wild horses that will be gathered, while the Four Mile Herd Management Area has about 52 wild horses that will be gathered, the BLM said in the press release. The wild horses will first be transported to the BLM Boise Wild Horse Off-Range Corrals. Then, the horses will be cared for at the Bruneau Wild Horse Off-Range Corrals until they can be returned to the range. There are no public viewing opportunities for the emergency gathering of horses, but daily updates will be posted on the BLM website here.
Studies prove that cattle grazing protects Western lands from wildfires, PLC says to remain confident in their public lands ranchers.
Study Shows the Value of Livestock Grazing | Ag Information Network – A study out from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service is now confirming the value of livestock grazing as a tool to protect western rangelands from wildfires. The PLC, which represents ranchers who hold federal grazing permits, hailed the research as more proof of the important role livestock grazing plays in protecting our natural resources. “In a year where wildfire has run rampant across the West, this study is a great reminder that livestock grazing must be an integral part of land management and wildfire mitigation,” says PLC President Mark Roeber. The study demonstrated that grazing supports the reduction of fire fuels that pose huge risks in sagebrush ecosystems that are prone to fire. By applying targeted grazing in these landscapes, managers can create effective fuel breaks to slow fire activity and improve suppression efforts. Kaitlynn Glover, PLC Executive Director, says officials should remain confident in their partnership with public lands ranchers.
Livestock grazing protects western lands from wildfires | Kentucky Ag Connection – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has released a study confirming the critical role that livestock grazing plays in protecting western rangelands from the dangers of wildfire. The Public Lands Council (PLC), which represents ranchers with federal grazing permits, praised the study, noting that it adds to the growing body of evidence supporting livestock grazing as a key tool in land management and conservation. In recent years, wildfires have become a significant threat across the western United States. The USDA-ARS study serves as a reminder that livestock grazing must be part of any comprehensive strategy to manage lands and mitigate wildfire risks. According to the study, managed grazing reduces the amount of fine fuels—such as grasses and shrubs—that can easily ignite and spread fire. By removing these fuels, grazing creates natural fire breaks, helping to slow the spread of wildfires and making suppression efforts more effective. Without grazing, rangelands often see an increase in invasive grasses that not only outcompete native species but also elevate fire risks. These invasive grasses can lead to a vicious cycle of frequent and severe wildfires, which further degrade the ecosystem. The study’s findings support the idea that partnerships between public lands ranchers and agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are vital for maintaining healthy, resilient landscapes. Ranchers play a crucial role in carefully managing millions of acres of public land, contributing to the overall health and stability of these ecosystems. As more attention is given to wildfire prevention, it’s clear that livestock grazing will continue to be recognized as a valuable tool in land management. The study underscores the importance of incorporating grazing into long-term conservation and fire prevention strategies, ensuring that western rangelands remain protected for future generations.
OR Wildfire Relief brings in $160k+ for ranchers
Fundraisers Bring $163,000 for Oregon Fire Relief | Western Ag Reporter – As of August 19, there were 62 large, active wildfires across the United States, the likes of which have burned over 2.23 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). Oregon and Idaho are at the top of the chart for volume of active fires at this point, with 15 and 12, respectively. In California, the Park Fire – alleged to have started by way of arson on July 24 – has burned nearly 430,000 acres with 55 percent containment, making it the fourth largest in California’s history as of press time. Ranchers, in numerous states across the West, have been left to assess livestock deaths and infrastructure losses, and in many cases, those losses have been significant. In Oregon specifically, wildfires have burned more acres in 2024 than ever before in recorded history, at over 1.4 million acres and growing, NIFC reported. As a result, Western Video Market (WVM) and Superior Livestock have both hosted Oregon Fire Relief portions of their latest auctions.