Utah’s junior Congressman Chris Stewart and senior Senator Orrin Hatch have introduced legislation that could transform the way some cattle grazing allotments are managed, giving more autonomy to states.
The pilot program would allow states to enter into 20-year cooperative agreements with the Secretary of the Interior, granting them the ability to manage up to two federal grazing allotments or more.
Grazing levels on federally owned public lands in the West have been in decline over the last 50 years, and are now at the lowest levels ever seen.
“Both my wife and I grew up on farms and ranches and having grown up working cattle, I understand the importance of grazing rights,” Stewart said. “Grazing is critical to communities all over rural Utah and I believe our communities have the expertise and the passion to best manage their own grazing lands. I want you to know I’m doing all I can in congress to protect Utah’s grazing rights, including pushing for this state grazing pilot program.”
Steward said, if implemented, the state-run programs could demonstrate that states are fully capable of responsible land management. The Utah Department of Agriculture has voiced support for the bill.