Everyday there is new proposed legislation, regulation, or bureaucratic agency rule that impacts the U.S. food industry. In fact, one can barely keep up! Of course, a recent and widely reported event is the HPAI H5N1 (avian influenza) that was first detected in dairy cows in Texas. The FDA indicated this virus poses no danger to humans as milk is pasteurized before it is sold to the consumer. I am thinking that statement will soon change and once again, the consumer will be on high alert.
But, more to the point of this article is the Bureau of Land Management’s publication of a final rule to better protect the public lands. Since I have been involved in protecting grazing rights on BLM managed public land, I want to dwell into this particular announcement a little more.
The Bureau of Land Management was created in 1946 when the Grazing Service was merged with the General Land Office. Since then BLM has been in charge of managing 245 million acres of U.S. public lands for multiple use including grazing and energy production. I am simplifying, but the final rule to be published soon will direct the agency to identify areas that need to be restored and then develop a strategy accordingly. The agency says the focus is conservation with the use of mitigation and restoration leases. Mitigation and restoration - I immediately question what that might involve. My inclination is that it will likely be much more than we might think, particularly when everyone has their own agenda to save the earth.
I would speculate that this new rule will become the license for BLM managers to “take and run” with their preconceived notions of saving the earth from climate change. That may or may not include Federal grazing and energy leases both of which are considered by some to be two of the primary sources of climate change – cattle and fossil fuels.
Ranches that have held Federal grazing leases for nearly 80 years and are financially sound have obviously managed their grazing for long term sustainability of the resource. The health of the resource directly impacts the financial health of their business - ranching. Has the BLM done the same as they put thousands of acres of wind turbines and solar panels that have a relatively short life across the public lands? I think those cattle grazing on public lands present a much better picture of sound resource management than the solar panels, particularly when thinking about enjoying a great, nutritious steak on the grill!
