Wyden teams up with Republican lawmaker on public lands grazing bill

 

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would support ranchers who rely upon federal lands in Oregon and nationwide to graze their livestock.

The Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Program Act would expand a national grazing program at the Bureau of Land Management that will allow for approved grazing permittees to have more flexibility in how they manage the federal rangelands they utilize. It would require the BLM to develop and authorize flexible grazing use alternatives at the request of grazing permittee or lessee, in consultation with the affected federal and state agencies, applicable Tribes and other affected parties within the allotment. It would also provide for adjustable pasture rotation dates up to 14 days before and after the specified timeframe to respond to changes in weather, forage production, fire, drought, market conditions or other temporary conditions. In addition, it would require BLM to establish cooperative monitoring plans and rangeland health objectives to monitor and evaluate the impact of the program in coordination with the permittees...more