Today, the Public Lands Council (PLC) begins their 58th Annual Meeting, where federal lands ranchers and industry stakeholders come together with policymakers and administration officials to discuss all issues facing the ranching industry. For two days in Copper Mountain, permittees will refine PLC’s policy book and set the advocacy agenda for the next year. Attendees will hear from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Steve Pearce, Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary Brenda Younkin, U.S. Forest Service officials, and many more.
“This past year has been nothing short of historic for ranchers who graze on federal lands. Those victories, including the Public Lands rule repeal and updated grazing regulations, came from years of effective advocacy and policymaking through our grassroots policy process at this meeting and many others across the West. We are not going to stop here, because our members are always looking ahead to emerging challenges and opportunities to keep the industry at the forefront of land stewardship,” said PLC President Tim Canterbury. “We still have work to do on predator management like delisting gray and Mexican wolves, addressing land conversion risks that remove grazing, and the increasing threat of catastrophic wildfire. Annual Meeting is the time the western grazing community comes together to face common industry issues and I am so excited to tackle these issues with everyone.”
PLC58 takes place as permittees have seen tremendous progress on generational challenges that have plagued the industry. Finality in greater sage grouse management plans, clarity and consistency between the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service grazing policy, and the landmark recission of the Public Lands Rule have all increased certainty for public lands ranching.
“Annual Meeting always features strong policy debates, discussing the wins from the past year and developing strategic plans to protect public lands access and the ranching lifestyle for generations to come. After years of wildfires, drought, and regulatory overreach, grazing permittees are finally seeing some relief,” said PLC Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover. “Each year, I am encouraged by the enthusiasm and resilience that is universal across our membership. They come to this meeting to set priorities for how PLC represents them in Washington, DC and around the country.”
