House Bill Introduced to Voluntarily Retire Grazing Permits

by

Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act (VGPRA) in the House last week. The voluntary retirement of grazing permits authorized by the VGPRA would provide grazing permit holders the option to voluntarily waive their permits to graze on federal lands in exchange for market value compensation paid by private parties. The federal agency would then be directed to retire the associated grazing allotment from further grazing activity.

“This is a common-sense solution to provide for smarter management of our public lands to the benefit of the environment, wildlife, and ranchers,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “Voluntary grazing permit retirement has proven to be an effective mechanism for reducing conflicts on public lands. The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act will ensure this option is available to ranchers across all the Western states.”

The Western Watersheds Project says this new bill will authorize new grazing permit retirements, and will also protect those that have already been bought out but are now threatened with being re-opened to livestock grazing.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) came out in opposition to the bill.

“Grazing is an essential and irreplaceable tool for federal land managers,” said fifth-generation Oregon rancher and PLC President Bob Skinner.  “Depriving them of this tool—the oldest of the multiple-uses—in order to placate the unfounded demands of radical environmentalists would be detrimental to the overall health of these landscapes and is entirely inconsistent with the original intent of both the Taylor Grazing Act and the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act.”

“This legislation proves exactly why NCBA and PLC’s ‘Value of Grazing’ media campaign was so important,” added Tennessee cattle producer and NCBA President Jennifer Houston.  “From fire mitigation to carbon sequestration, livestock grazing is necessary for healthy grasslands and soil.”

The bill has 10 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

###

Office of Washington Congressman Adam Smith, District 9

Western Watersheds Project

NCBA

Public Lands Council

Northern Ag Network

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Beth

It would be nice on this article to give us the names and emails of the 10 co-sponsors so that we can write them and tell them how wrong this is for OUR lands!

Will

Its easy to look up, just type in H.R.5737 on congress.gov and you can see who which representatives are co-sponsoring the bill.

CATHY

Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act (VGPRA) in the House last week, AND Cosponsored by;
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Heck, Denny [D-WA-10]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]* 01/30/2020
Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]*

Winona

Why would you take away precious land from generations of farmers and ranchers? To only line your pockets again for whatever reason all 10 of you would do this is my thinking!?! Why would you do this? I don’t understand?

John Widhalm

When the fires start and you have to pay people to graze the land for fire sapreshin you still won’t admit that you were rong. this was dun with sheep broke all the small people but now they pay the big sheep outfit to grazz the land for fire control.

Karl

It’s voluntary. And, if those that graze the 198 allotments in Malheur County could actually meet Rangeland Health Standards, maybe this wouldn’t be palatable, but it is for me. Let’s get our native bunch grasses back, and say good bye to non-native Crested Wheat!

David mabe

It is called Agenda21 which is a treaty with the United nation which purposes to remove all people from the rural areas and move them to major population centers!
Don’t believe me and think I’m a fool. Look it up for yourself. The sustainable living. Money going to towns and cities is the same tuning.

7
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x