"What conservationists have said from the beginning is that this world, and all its treasures, is finite. Treat it right and you will live. Squander and plunder and rape and you will someday suffer." - WOC founder Tom Bell
Programs - Grazing - Home
WOC has been actively involved in pressing the BLM to take the much needed action to reduce grazing numbers in the Smith's Fork Allotment in southwestern Wyoming. In April 2004, WOC reached a settlement with BLM on a WOC appeal in which the BLM agreed to prepare an allotment management plan for this severely overgrazed allotment by February 28, 2005. (see Frontline articles Livestock Prepare to Eat Dirt on the Smiths Fork Allotment and BLM Modifying Grazing Plan for Smiths Fork allotment).
Additionally, in response to significant concern about the Green Mountain Allotment
near Jeffrey City in central Wyoming, we worked with the BLM and actively encouraged
and supported that office's courageous decision in 2001 to require allottees
to remove their livestock 10 weeks early due to drought conditions. (see Portion of Green Mountain Common Allotment Closed to Grazing). In 2002, the BLM again shortened the grazing season and halved the number of livestock usually permitted
on the allotment in the face of extreme drought, but even that fell far short of what was needed. (see BLM Halves Grazing Season & Cattle Numbers on Green Mountain Common Allotment)
The Wyoming Outdoor Council recognizes
that improper livestock grazing endangers the integrity of natural systems.
When substantial information shows livestock grazing on public lands is
negatively affecting any of Wyoming's natural systems, WOC may initiate
and participate in legitimate actions that will seek to protect, restore,
and enhance the integrity of those natural systems.
For other news (outside our website) on Wyoming rivers at risk from grazing abuses,
see: Top 10 western rivers trampled by the livestock industry (Bear
River) (Sweetwater
River)
Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Proposal
In July, 2002, WOC decided to support proposed legislation that would allow ranchers the opportunity to sell their grazing permits for $175/AUM to the federal government which would then permanently retire the grazing lease.
WOC signed on to the proposal for voluntary grazing permit retirement legislation advocated by the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign only after extensive and careful deliberation. Board members and staff alike raised serious concerns that our support of the buyout policy might be misconstrued as support for ending all grazing on public lands. WOC does not advocate ending all grazing on public lands. Rather, when it is done in a manner that maintains a healthy rangeland and riparian environments WOC recognizes grazing as an accepted activity on public lands.
Following much debate, WOC's Board decided to support the permit retirement proposal because: 1) it was strictly voluntary (no rancher would be required to sell his/her grazing permit); 2) it could, in fact, be a benefit to ranchers who wanted to get out of ranching for any number of reasons, including drought; and 3) it could benefit the rangeland by alleviating excessive grazing pressure on it.
Because we were concerned that by signing on to this one issue of NPLGC's grazing campaign, there would arise some assumption that WOC as an organization supports all aspects of NPGLC -- which is not true -- we insisted that WOC would only sign on to the buy-out proposal if NPLGC posted a disclaimer on their website and elsewhere that supporters of the buy-out proposal should not be assumed to support all policies or activities of NPLGC. At our request, they posted the following disclaimer:
* Endorsement of the voluntary federal public lands grazing permit buyout proposal does not imply that an organization endorses all the policies and activities of the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign.
In short, WOC supports the proposal for strictly voluntary (willing seller) grazing permit retirement legislation because it offers ranchers a truly voluntary opportunity to receive monetary value for their grazing leases which might financially enable them to reduce excessive grazing pressure on our public lands.
Programs - Grazing - Home
WOC has been actively involved in pressing the BLM to take the much needed action to reduce grazing numbers in the Smith's Fork Allotment in southwestern Wyoming. In April 2004, WOC reached a settlement with BLM on a WOC appeal in which the BLM agreed to prepare an allotment management plan for this severely overgrazed allotment by February 28, 2005. (see Frontline articles 
Additionally, in response to significant concern about the Green Mountain Allotment
near Jeffrey City in central Wyoming, we worked with the BLM and actively encouraged
and supported that office's courageous decision in 2001 to require allottees
to remove their livestock 10 weeks early due to drought conditions. (see 
WOC signed on to the proposal for voluntary grazing permit retirement legislation advocated by the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign only after extensive and careful deliberation. Board members and staff alike raised serious concerns that our support of the buyout policy might be misconstrued as support for ending all grazing on public lands. WOC does not advocate ending all grazing on public lands. Rather, when it is done in a manner that maintains a healthy rangeland and riparian environments WOC recognizes grazing as an accepted activity on public lands.
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