Sheep Industry News March 2022

Council Hears Medley of Land & Resource Issues

CAT URBIGKIT The Shepherd A

ttendees of the Resource Management Council meeting had a full slate of topics on their agenda. Chief among them was U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service /Wildlife Services Deputy Ad ministrator Janet Bucknall providing an update on her agency’s varied activities in wildlife disease and emergency response under the One Health approach that recognizes the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals. With a strategic goal to safeguard the health, welfare and value of American agriculture and natural resources, Bucknall said, “livestock protection remains at the core of what we do.” The Wildlife Services budget includes about $109 million for animal damage management – everything from feral swine eradi cation and aquaculture protection to promoting nonlethal meth ods of protecting livestock, as well as other methods to reduce damage caused by wild animals. With management of gray wolves in most of the United States reverting back to the states, Wildlife Services works within the guidelines set by each state. To coordinate overall USDA wolf management, the agency is developing an internal wolf group that will bring together each USDA agency to coordinate the department’s efforts, Bucknall said. TARGETED GRAZING The U.S. Forest Service will soon be developing a program for targeted grazing to reduce fuel loads, according to Eric Davis of the agency. The program is funded through the new infrastruc ture act and aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires through fuel reduction, using livestock grazing as a tool to that end. What is unique is that this program for targeted grazing will not be tied to Forest Plan livestock grazing targets, and can be conducted anywhere on USFS lands if targeted for fuel reduction purposes. Davis said once his agency develops the structure for the program, it will issue a call for proposals. “It’s an exciting time,” Davis said. I think there will be a lot of learning about how to implement this program.” PUBLIC LANDS Public Lands Council Vice President Mark Roeber of Colorado gave an update on PLC’s activities that have been altered with

the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, conservation planning for sage grouse, as well as the Biden Adminstration’s 30x30 Plan, will continue to need attention from livestock producers. PLC’s position is that grazing is good, and is part of the solu tion, Roeber said, and PLC will continue to push this message with the administration. Roeber said the new USFS targeted graz ing plan will be important, and a meeting between PLC’s execu tive committee and the heads of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management was largely positive. PLC emphasized the importance of flexibility when producers are dealing with wild fires and drought. LITIGATION Western Resources Legal Center Executive Director Caroline Lobdell updated the membership on a number of legal issues and trends that affect the sheep industry. A highlight of her presenta tion was an update on WildEarth Guardians and Western Water sheds Project v. Bail (2:20-cv-00440). This case involves S. Martinez Livestock, an ASI member. The special interest, anti-grazing plaintiffs sought an immediate preliminary injunction from a federal district court in eastern Washington. WRLC had limited time to mount a defense on behalf of S. Martinez Livestock, but was ultimately successful in convincing the district court not to issue an injunction that would have forced the Martinez family to immediately find alternative forage for thousands of domestic sheep – threatening the vi ability of their multi-generational family business. Furthermore, Public Lands Council Vice President Mark Roeber of Colorado addressed the council on PLC's recent efforts in Washington, D.C.

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