Ranchers fighting for greater sage-grouse: ‘What’s good for the bird is good for the herd’

We live in a changing world.  We must carefully consider the potential changes to our environment and resources.  As a cattle producer, I know all too well the already increasing pressure felt by our industry to produce more with less.  The cattle industry continues to make strides in innovation and management, resulting in improved genetics, feed efficiency and land management. 

While there is pressure on the industry to continue producing our product, there is also another inherent concern—to maintain open space livestock operations.  Those who value real care for western landscapes and the environment share a common goal with producers—the need to maintain open space.  While some do not consider the livestock industry to be a caretaker of the land, water and natural resources, in reality, we have always maintained a commitment to care for the land. It is the number one priority of all producers. The well-being of our families depend on the health of the land we manage.

To generate a high-quality product, we must retain and maintain high quality resources.  For ranchers, this resource is the land itself.  The health and viability of the rangelands, hill country, wetlands and prairies that our operations inhabit is vital to our success.  For cattle producers, our livestock and the public and private land where we graze, go hand-in-hand.

For years, ranchers have bristled at the mention of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  This knee-jerk reaction is not due to objections to wildlife per se; rather, it’s a direct response to the manner in which actions under the ESA have historically been carried out. In the past, these actions have seemed to some to be top-down, with no communication, no interaction and no understanding of what impact restrictions would have on a cattle operation. Historically this has left land managers with a negative attitude toward ESA.

Today, we are hopeful the mention of ESA doesn’t prompt such a severe reaction. While still causing angst and uncertainty, ESA is also met with cautious optimism as a tool to spur planning by land managers and maintain a timeline for taking action that can inspire the kind of work that ultimately avoids a listing under ESA. 

Why such a turn of events? 

The current administration, and particularly those in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Interior (DOI)—specifically the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)—are actively working with cattlemen across the West to bridge the gap between conservation of threatened species and the needs of America’s producers.  In a significant change in approach, producers are now being asked to be a part of the conversation to preserve not only open land, but also threatened animals such as the sage-grouse—and the elk, mule deer, and hundreds of other species that rely on its habitat.  Instead of a closed-door approach, those looking to conserve a species and its habitat are now attempting to work with landowners and users to reach consensus on management decisions and in doing so, prevent a listing in the first place. This is common-sense wildlife management and land management.

USCA members, and producers across the country, want to continue their role in this process because when the livestock sector is included, the results speak for themselves. Most recently the decision was made to not list the Bi-State Grouse. This past week DOI rolled out state-specific management plans. Our members ask DOI to continue the model set forth by NRCS: involve landowners and users in the development of these plans. The success garnered so far on this issue largely came about because the conservation and management efforts implemented by producers are working. USCA hopes this model continues, as we are making strides on this matter by working together.

We ask that USDA and the DOI continue to utilize this relationship and factor in the role of producers in effective wildlife management. Thus far, the critical role of ranchers’ efforts have kept the sage grouse from a listing.  Although we have not yet avoided the necessity of a listing altogether, today we are confident that by working side by side and building on the extraordinary progress we have already made, we can conserve this species and further prove “what’s good for the bird is good for the herd.”

 Beer is president of the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association.