AFBF Applauds Grazing MOU Between USDA and the Interior Department

Smith: The Departments of Agriculture and Interior have recently announced plans to formalize collaboration between the two agencies when it comes to grazing on public lands. Shelby Hagenauer, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau, said these plans were announced via a memorandum of understanding.

Hagenauer: So they're focused on making vacant allotments available for use, more efficient National Environmental Policy Act permitting processes, having agency staff spend part of their training on actual ranches to better understand the daily lives of ranchers, and really seeking to implement a goal of no net loss of animal unit months within allotments, among other things.

Smith: She said public lands grazing is a valuable partnership between ranchers and federal agencies to manage millions of acres of Western lands.

Hagenauer: Ranchers are out on that land daily. They act as fire lookouts and often first responders, and livestock grazing is a proven method of fuels reduction to prevent wildfires. Grazing helps address invasive grasses and issues in the ground, and also, these ranches are a critical part of their local rural communities and economies.

Smith: Hagenauer said the next step for farmers and ranchers is to look out for updated grazing regulations that are currently going through the federal review process.

Hagenauer: Those will likely be released for public comment in the next few months, so ranchers should be ready to provide written feedback about the proposal. Also, BLM just put out an online tool for reviewing vacant BLM, Forest Service, and National Wildlife Refuge allotments. Both of these efforts by the administration are really welcomed and appreciated by our rancher members.

Smith: Chad Smith, Washington.