Ranchers Fear Rangeland Reform Is Last Straw

U.S. Bureau of Land Management officers believe Idaho will be pleased with the members on the first Resource Advisory Councils resulting from Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt’s Rangeland Reform ‘94 policy.

Ranchers, however, fear the Arizona Democrat’s program as the vehicle pushing them out of business.

The council members have not yet been announced, but should be in place the first week of September, BLM spokesman Jack Sept said.

For stockmen worried councils will be packed with anti-beef environmentalists from out of state, their concerns are unfounded, he said.

“We’re looking for problem-solvers, not troublemakers - people who can work together to come to a consensus on things,” Sept said.

Idaho will be home to three regional councils: Clearwater-Salmon, Lower Snake and Upper Snake river.

Each will have 15 members: five from resource groups - ranching, timber and mining - who use public lands on a commercial basis; five non-commercial users, such as environmentalists, off-road vehicle enthusiasts and sportsmen; and five scientists or locally elected officials.

All Idaho council nominees were screened by BLM officials and Gov. Phil Batt.

Rangeland Reform ‘94 is designed to place greater emphasis on environmental quality, Sept said.

The BLM is aware that Idaho, where nearly two-thirds of the state is federal property, does not have enough private rangeland for its cattle industry, he added.

The bureau also agrees with Idaho ranchers that most public lands are in “the best shape they have ever been in.”