Livestock Grazing

STATUS:The livestock industry is under increasing pressure from land
management agencies and environmental groups to often reduce or eliminate
livestock from many of our rangelands for various reasons. Grazing is cited as
damaging to soils, water quality, plants, and wildlife. Few who are critical of
domestic livestock grazing understand the ecological realities of grazing on the
range.

POLICY:Because our District is primarily rangeland, our major concern and
priority is to promote good range conservation. We believe livestock grazing is
a legitimate and desirable use of range and forest lands and that this belief
should be shared with others.

IMPLEMENTATION:Properly controlled grazing often improves the amount
and kind of forage available to wildlife and is completely compatible with a
healthy rangeland ecosystem and other land uses. The more examples we can set
of this principle, the closer we will come to maximizing production of the land
and care for its resources. And the more cooperation and understanding we can
generate among ranchers, land managers, and special interest groups, the greater
the benefit to the land and its resources. Another principle is that livestock
production provides an important contribution to our food supply, economy,
and way of life. These benefits are accrued from a perpetually renewable
resource, and with only minor fossil fuel consumption compared to other
agriculture enterprises. These facts must be understood. We have a
responsibility to the people of our District to demonstrate the vital
relationship between producer and consumer; a relationship that is all too
often forgotten. Through our environmental education program, we can shape
attitudes and understanding in our young people, and in adults as well.