...According to the CNN article, “The Camp Fire in Northern California has killed 23 people and burned 108,000 acres. The Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles has killed at least two and has scorched 83,275 acres. The Hill fire in Ventura County has ravaged 4,531 acres.” Just as some are blaming climate change and others are blaming mismanagement of forests, I imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle with an ongoing five-year drought creating a very dry and brittle landscape. By no means am I trying to sound condescending, and I hope it’s not in poor taste by saying it’s too soon to talk about solutions to these devastating wildfires. But I think as the flames continue to ravage the countryside, beef producers have an opportunity to talk about the benefits of cattle grazing on the landscape. Forgive me for being so blunt, but we can either responsibly utilize the land’s natural resources or watch it burn as underbrush builds up and forests grow thick from lack of use.
My thoughts echo the position that the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has taken on this topic. Per the CCA 2017 Policy Resolutions, “The CCA requests that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) petition Congress to:
1. Review all lands in wilderness area classification and wilderness study areas in California and that any land not meeting the wilderness classification be removed from designation as wilderness area and wilderness study areas.
2. Permit livestock grazing on all suitable wilderness land in California.
3. Prevent further designation of land into wilderness classification.
4. Release the 1.7 million acres presently designated for future planning in the 1984 California
Wilderness Act.
5. Oppose further national monument designation that does not consider livestock grazing on lands suited for grazing.”
Additionally, the organization supports responsible, well-timed prescribed burns for improved range management.
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