While wild horses & burros are removed from public lands FOREVER, the mooooochers continue to try to mooch off of public lands.
Dustin Van Liew (photo: Public Lands Council)
Dustin Van Liew, the Exec. Dir. of the Public Lands Council, (who’s also the Federal Lands Director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association) makes the unsubstantiated claim that livestock AUMs have been suspended on a “quarter of U.S. grazing land.” It seems doubtful that Liew has ever closely reviewed the BLM’s Rangeland Administration System website. If he had, he’d know that many grazing allotments haven’t had any AUMs suspended. However, he was right on the money when he stated that “ranchers consider permits property.”
SOURCE: Capitalpress.com
Ranchers Wary of Proposed BLM Handbook
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cattle industry leaders fear ranches throughout the West stand to lose value and access to potential rangeland if the Bureau of Land Management implements a proposed change to its grazing handbook.
BLM bases grazing densities on animal unit months — the amount of forage a cow would need to subsist for a month. Dustin Van Liew, executive director of the Public Lands Council, explained most grazing permits include a percentage of AUMs that still exist but have been suspended based on poor grazing conditions. Those AUMs may be reactivated once conditions improve.
In the draft version of the BLM’s updated handbook, which offers guidance on how BLM rules should be implemented, the agency has proposed to give field managers authority to remove suspended AUMs that are unlikely to be active in the foreseeable future when they reissue grazing permits.
Van Liew said ranchers consider permits property, and even suspended AUMs are taxed and carry weight with lenders. He worries it would more difficult for a rancher to get new land added to a permit than to demonstrate recovery of suspended land. “Our biggest concern is those suspended AUMs are part of the overall value of a permit to our members,” Van Liew said. He believes suspended AUMs provide the BLM flexibility to adjust for improved rotations and watering practices and cost nothing to maintain on the books.
Van Liew advises members to be vigilant of suspended AUMs when they renew permits. He knows of a few cases in which BLM offices have stripped suspended AUMs from permits, apparently anticipating the likely change to the handbook. The ranchers all succeeded in getting their suspended AUMs restored.
Idaho Cattle Association Executive Vice President Wyatt Prescott said some of those suspended AUMs were removed from Idaho permits. “Technically a suspended AUM is still an AUM, and in the right conditions, can be reinstated,” Prescott said.
Dick Mayberry, BLM’s rangeland management specialist, said the proposed handbook update is now under review by state BLM offices, and the agency hopes to release the final version during the summer. He said a public comment period isn’t required to update the guidance document.
Mayberry said the grazing management handbook was last updated in 1988, based on rules from 1978, and the new handbook will align the guidance with 1995 rules, which make no mention of suspended AUMs. Mayberry said BLM managers would still have the ability to retain suspended AUMs, provided that they list a reason, and ranchers could appeal decisions to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.
Mayberry said suspended AUMs have been carried forward for more than 40 years in many cases. BLM had no figures available on suspended AUMs but Van Liew estimated they could represent up to a quarter of U.S. grazing land.
“From the bureau’s viewpoint, if there are additional AUMs of forage available, we can always allocate those back, and we have a history of who used AUMs, whether they’re suspended or not,” Mayberry said.
An official with Western Watersheds, based in Hailey, Idaho, said he’s unfamiliar with the proposal but supports the concept, noting suspended AUMs are inactive for good reason.
Categories: Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Yes its all about money horses are the ones who belong to each American they are our heritage who put us here in the first place the cattle are here for the profit of the cattleman and the government we need to protest the removal 0f our horses and get rid of the cattle .
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Cattle. They are raised to be slaughtered. The whole thought of it repulses me as we fight to spare horses from a similar plight. If cattle were crops there would be no hunger in the world. Men that profit by the death of animals, cattlemen, butchers, truck drivers, a waitress at Mc Donald’s, a school lunch. It’s all part of the system that will eventually strip us of all lands and water. Eat no or less meat.
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HD, the biggest systemic problem as I see it is that these permits (time-based leases) are considered mortgable property. I can’t think of another sector of our economy that values revocable rental situations so highly when considering lending for private businesses. I well understand these have value for ranchers who of course don’t want to lose them; as I’ve mentioned elsewhere we as a society need to examine how much we want to prop up for-profit concerns, and if so, other ways it can be accomplished. This current system has everyone trapped, most especially our wild horses and burros.
With only about 20,000 permits out there altogether, I wonder if some of the BLMs ever-expanding budget couldn’t be put to better use in perhaps a one-time buyout of most of those leases. Onerous idea perhaps but it has been successfully accomplished in a few instances (WWP is one example). Losing leases will make many businesses no longer viable since they were built on the assumptions of this nearly-free use of the public lands. Can we all consider ways to alter this system in ways that don’t end with either the loss of all our wild horses and burros or our ranching industry? The numbers of leaseholders are few enough there should be some way to accomplish this equitably.
Also have to respectfully disagree that “if cattle were crops there would be no hunger in the world” since cattle ARE crops, and very inefficient to grow profitably on rangelands without massive public subsidies. If no cattle grazed the public lands many ranchers would go under since the margins are low and based on nearly free grazing often for most of the growing season. Feeding a burgeoning human population can’t be done with cattle in the long run due to the inherent inefficiencies of producing them though they can provide an important nutritional component.
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Amen to that. I read recently that we are going to be importing beef, while we sell ours to other parts of the World. First, the number of people here consuming red meat is declining. Again, the Good Ol Boys think that they are entitled to public lands at welfare prices. Its apparent that the corruption runs very deep. Where are they putting all these horses? I want accountability..Just disgusting..The worse part is most of the Legislators dont give a rats’s ass about them or what the American people want.
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we ALREADY are exporting most of the beef grown in the U.S., while importing beef for our consumption that is grown in Mexico and other countries. If the powers that be were so concerned about global warming and the environment, they would do away with a lot of the trade “partnerships” that means shipping commodities like this all over the world.
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Gail, hate to bring this up but ranchers (men and women) with permits ARE entitled by law to use the public lands at welfare prices by the decree of Congress. The corruption runs to the highest levels of our government; it’s difficult for me to blame ranchers who accepted the deal and built their businesses around what Congress decreed. The logical question is how to change the system which was set up to sweeten the willingness of private citizens to abandon the free-wheeling days of the Open Range. I think this has to be from the top down, and that will only result from a grassroots furor sufficient to require action. I’m not looking for much action from the newly-elected on this score, sadly.
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Icyspots ,I have been talking about that from every angle ,our prez talks out the side of face . he said when he was elected that he was going to make america the richest producing nation of gas and oil. And not only that he and Harry Reid had a deal with the Chinese that they would promote those solar farms and big beef . He has left the borders opened . One deserter for 5 taliban leaders . Common core in our schools that teach islam in history courses for our childern . This man has lied every step of his presidency , I believe he has pushed reid to promote the big beef since nobody bought into the solar farm thing and has pushed the fracking . I personally don’t buy into nothing this man or muslam says . He has given carte de blanc on our wildlife ,which has been systematically killed off in loader bucket fulls. He has divided this country racially ,I don’t buy into it’s just the usfs, blm, or congress or the senate alone . i’m also getting ready to write cornyn back i just sent to whp/ force of the horse / whe/ the letter he just e-mailed me ,all he could talk about is how lucrative the keystone pipeline will be for america ( the jerk ) he will answer my questions??!!!!! boy,I’m I mad !!!!
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Gail—I have wondered that myself—where are they putting those horses, they round up 100 here, 300 there, 1000 somewhere else, but there is always 50,000 in holding. Why does that number never go up?
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Remember the article raising beef is good for the planet—–http://dailypitchfork.org/?p=238
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http://dailypitchfork.org/?p=238
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http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2015/01/14/livestock-climates-forgotten-sector-a-review
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http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=4cd5fa76-4fe0-4cd2-8efc-9ecf4b2afeb7
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Just an article I found http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-the-animal-rights-movement-is-failing-and-what-we-can-do-about-it
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First, the BLM is, has and will continue to send the horses and burros to slaughter.. However, they will keep just a handful of non breeding animals so that they can continue to rape John, Q. Public out of the dollars that support these horses
They will lie about the numbers until there are no more and then their cash cow is gone. Secondly, the person who said that our legislators don’t give a crap about the horses is totally correct. They don’t care about them or what we say about anything. You’re going to see it more now than before.. Thirdly, it doesn’t matter how much or little beef we eat because only 3% of Americas beef comes from range cattle. They are being raised and slaughtered for other countries, not us. If you don’t eat beef, you’re better off because it’s unhealthy for so many reasons. Cortisol, fat, drugs including antibiotics, growth hormone are in the feed (and we wonder why the antibiotics aren’t working) but also don’t fool yourself into thinking that foul is any better….. It’s all going to make you sick and they don’t care. beware of meat period.. So what is the plan of attack?
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Why the Sagebrush Revolt burned out
Click to access v8n3-5.pdf
Robert H. Nelson
“The old interests which have so long dictated public land policies have lost control. Many of you have been saying for year that more than stockmen have a stake in how public lands are grazed; more than miners have a right to suggest as to how, when and where mining will be done on public lands; more than loggers care-and may rightfully comment on how our timber resources are managed.
There is nothing particularly mysteriously, I believe, in what is being called the “Sagebrush Rebellion”. Indeed, it is the long, time-honored response of the fellow who upon finding he can no longer dictate the rules of the game decided to take his ball go home.”
James Joseph, Undersecretary of the Interior
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Even though the real forces behind the public lands grab remain hidden, the strategy is very transparent.
Pit one side against the other
The ranchers push the Wild Horses & Burros off public lands
The next move on the chess board is to get the livestock off public lands.
This leaves it wide open for multi-national exploitation of America’s natural resources.
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What can be done to address the problems associated with public lands livestock grazing? There is a simple answer: end it. Get the cows and sheep off, let the wild creatures reclaim their native habitat, and send the ranchers a bill for the cost of restoration.
http://www.publiclandsranching.org/book.htm
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I’ve been stating this since 2006, “Time for the entire grazing permits program get into the present with updated dated, AUM’s and of course, 2015 rates not rates established 40 yrs ago!” The system should be self-supporting off of user fees and should not cost the taxpayer one bloody cent.
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Louie C , you are more than right it is a big ol’ chess match an I not saying for positive but my bet is the chinese and russia have a big stake in this and I think we( americans have been sold out by the bigot- incharge . I also think that the predators are being killed off for a reason .People are going to be over run w/deer and elk ,rats ,other rodents . What a life they have planned for us.All the while having talks about one world government .
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Blm needs to update the handbook to 2015 conditions not 1995. The mooooochers will get their way and still be able to use Public lands as collateral for their personal gain. Kleptocracy.
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Livestock ranchers do not own our public land’s. They think they can dictate who uses our public land’s.
Public land’s belong to all Americans who have been paying taxes on these land’s for decades. Americans have payed more taxes then these livestock ranchers who pay loss cost to graze public land’s.
Oil, gas drillers and mining companies also want Our American Wild Horse’s off public lands.
Our American Wild Horse’s belong to all Americans not the government, livestock ranchers, and oil, gas drilling companies and mining companies.
This also puts our National Parks ,Monuments and historical sites at risk.
If we Americans let Big Business and livestock ranchers take over run Our Public land’s we have failed. We as Americans can not let these individuals take over and eridacated Our American Wild Horse’s.
We are the care takers and it’s our responsibility to much sure our public land’s are unspoiled by grazing livestock and exploration.
Our wildlife and reptiles can be destroyed.
Putting Our American Wild Horse’s and are wild America at risk is unacceptable.
Our Federal is concerning selling our public land’s to individual states and this unacceptable. Selling back public land’s to individual states the American taxpayer’s will losing out.
Our public land’s are to admired, enjoyed and not destoyed for future generations.
This week 50,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Yellow Stone River. How many fish and birds will die. And also the other wildlife that drink from this river.
Is it going to have a eco disaster on public land’s before someone puts a stop to madness.
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Good points and yes, the Yellowstone oil pipe breakage spill is a disaster and another reason no more oil/gas lines should be put in. They are metal and rust, duh! The difficulty with the ranchers is I don’t know how the heck they did it, (corrupt/slanted in their favour politics I’m sure), but even though the ranchers do not own the public lands, they control ALL the WATER Rights…
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Our Public Land’s it seems that livestock ranchers, oil, gas drilling companies and mining companies, U.S.Government, Hunting Groups (yes even them), Bureau of land Management and Renewable Energy think they know what’s best on our public land’s.
The want exploration, solar panels and let livestock graze as they please.
BLM and the Dept of the Interior have no knowledge or experience managing all animals, eco systems, environment and don’t human treatment of animal cruelty laws.
Numerous have died caused by solar panels.
Yellowstone National Park is killing and slaughtering Buffalo’s.
Some states are engaged in Wolf and Coyote kill Derby’s.
BLM is eridacated Our American Wild Horse’s off public land’s. There are 45,000 to 55,000 wild horse’s in BLM HOLDING FACILITIES.
BLM has scheduled numerous roundups for winter 2015.
Groups who records and counts on these horses and BLM estimated numbers are lower then BLM numbers. Six of these groups that scheduled roundups are very popular on Social Media world wide and the groups keep track of their beloved horse’s being removed is going to be devastating.
Livestock ranchers, oil, gas drillers and mining companies want these horse’s off public land’s.
Our American Wild Horse’s belong to all Americans. They are Americana, Icons and Western Heritage.
It is are responsible the American people to make sure that we protect Our Public Land’s.
We have invested our taxpayer’s money this land’s and to use it for Recreational activities.
I don’t want our natural resources sold out to foreign countries.
Just this week 50,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Yellow Stone River. There will be loss of fish and birds will die. And all wildlife will feel a impact as a water source.
National Parks, Monuments and Historical are part of our public land’s. They are for all Americans to be admired, enjoyed and not destoyed for future generations.
If we don’t act to protect all wildlife and the beautiful sites on our public land’s we cannot fail and if we do is unacceptable.
Voices only work in numbers.
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