Forest Service To Implement Grazing Deals

The U.S. Forest Service will implement new 10-year grazing administration plans on western North Dakota’s federal grasslands even if the two major rancher associations decline to sign the deals, one of the state’s senators said. The rancher associations administer grazing on the grasslands on behalf of the Forest Service, issuing permits, collecting fees and ensuring ranchers follow management plans for areas where grazing is permitted. The Forest Service gave the Medora and McKenzie County grazing associations a one-week reprieve to make a decision on the agreements. The reprieve expired Tuesday. Keith Winter, president of the McKenzie County group, said his association has told the Forest Service what parts of the agreements it objects to and is waiting for a response. He would not detail the group’s objections. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told him late last week that the new plans would be put in place even if the grazing groups did not sign off on them, and the associations would be able to dispute portions during the next 45 days through a U.S. Department of Agriculture appeals process. Grazing will not be disrupted by the dispute over the agreements...read more