News Update

September 15, 2015

Western Wildfires
Ignite Washington, D.C.

Massive wildfires affecting the West throughout this year’s fire season have sparked heated activity in Washington. In a mid-August letter sent to the White House, the Public Lands Council (PLC) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) stressed the importance of proper natural resource management. The U.S. Forest Service now spends $1 billion on wildfire suppression, while the PLC and NCBA argue that proper forest and rangeland management would result in vastly reduced wildfire damage and, therefore, less economic hardship for ranchers and landowners in rural communities.

A previously passed House bill would require mechanical treatment and prescribed burns on designated lands, and the Senate is considering similar legislation.

Watch this week’s The Angus Report for more information.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

10,000 Acre Conservation Easement Conserves Sage Grouse Leks

The Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust, in collaboration with the Simon Farm and Land Co., completed a conservation easement on the Arrowhead Ranch in Natrona County late last month. According to Bo Alley, conservation director with the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust, “This easement will help protect key sage grouse habitat and will limit development on approximately 10,000 acres.”

In a written statement the Simon family (Sylvia, Tim, Emma and Pete) said: “This beautiful ranch in Powder River, Wyo., is so special to us … placing it in a perpetual easement with the Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust will allow our great-grandchildren to see it exactly as it is today … we would like to thank the organization for its assistance in preserving the Arrowhead Ranch.”

The conservation easement was fully donated but a portion of the third-party transaction costs were paid for with the help of a grant from the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust.

For more information, please view the full release online.

— Adapted from a release by the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust.

Western Ranchers Discuss Policy Priorities

The Public Lands Council (PLC) hosted its annual meeting in Cody, Wyo., last week to discuss issues critical to the western ranching industry. Session topics included the need for modernization of the Endangered Species Act, sage grouse, invasive species, wildfire management, water rights issues and management of wild horses, among others.

“The western ranching industry is unique in the fact that it faces an added layer of federal bureaucracy in dealing with lands managed by the government,” said Dustin Van Liew, PLC executive director. “Nearly 22,000 ranchers utilize grazing permits to graze on federal lands equating to nearly 40% of the Western cowherd and 50% of the nation’s sheep herd spending some time on federal lands. I’m pleased this year’s meeting brought great insight and discussion to the table.”

The potential listing of the Greater Sage Grouse under the Endangered Species Act was top of mind, as the habitat improves and even thrives, specifically in properly-managed ranching areas.

For more information, please view the full PLC release online.

— Adapted from a release by the Public Lands Council.

Farm Safety Week Celebrated with Safety Grants

The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) announced it will make available approximately a dozen safety grants up to $10,000 to encourage ag safety interventions at the local and regional level.

“With National Farm Safety and Health Week coming up Sept. 20-26, we’re excited to announce our third year of safety grants,” said ASHCA Chair Leon Graves, who represents Dairy Farmers of America.

ASHCA, a not-for-profit coalition of agribusinesses, producer organizations and safety professionals, has set an application deadline of Jan. 7, 2016. Information regarding eligibility, priorities, application instructions and frequently asked questions is available at www.ashca.org.

Priority will be given to programs that engage both management and workers in the planning and implementation of successful injury-reduction programs; “hands-on” training initiatives that will increase workers’ adoption of proven safety practices and will be sustained beyond the grant period; and initiatives that reach under-served or high-risk populations, e.g., non-English speaking workers.

For more information, visit the ASHCA website.

— Adapted from a release by the Agricultural Safety & Health Council of America.

2015 All Breeds Cattle Tour set for South Central North Dakota

The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association’s (NDSA) All Breeds Cattle Tour will feature nine producers and six breeds of cattle in the Steele, N.D., area Friday, Oct. 2.

The day begins with registration at the Cobblestone Inn in Steele, N.D., at 7:30 a.m. Meals and transportation are provided during the tour and there is no cost to attend. The All Breeds Cattle Tour bus will depart from Steele at 8 a.m.

In its 29th year, the All Breeds Cattle Tour features an impressive group of seedstock producers that includes Deckert Simmental Ranch, Kal-Kota Ranch, C-Diamond Simmentals, Koester Red Angus, Crosshair Simmentals, Thompson Angus, Potterosa Limousin, TLC Vetsch Angus and Bichler Simmentals.

Access the complete news release for more details on the event.

— Adapted from a release by North Dakota Stockmen’s Association.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal.