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Ranchers hopeful re-stocking program will revive grazing in Arizona forest
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), and Arizona and Gila County Cattle Growers are teaming up to restock grazing cattle on Arizona's Forest Service land.
Because of drought and other issues, Animal Unit Months (AUMs) on Forest Service land has been reduced in that area by nearly 80 percent, and the area's ranching community has suffered. The Tonto National Forest Restocking Agreement signed by Arizona-based representatives of the USFS, the Arizona Cattle Growers Association, and Gila County Cattle Growers will expedite the return of as many cattle as supportable by forage conditions on allotments.
"Arizona ranchers have needed this help for some time, but what's more important is the precedent being set by this cooperative effort," says Andy Groseta, a rancher from Cottonwood, Ariz., and chairman of NCBA's Federal Lands Committee. "The government recognizes that we all must work together to solve the difficult problems facing cattlemen in the Southwest."
"In addition," Groseta says, "in developing this program, the Forest Service recognizes how dependent ranchers are on America's rangelands, and how much livestock production contributes to local and rural economies. We applaud the Forest Service for this support."
Key components of the program include:
--A Coordinated Resource Management Task Force comprised of qualified range technicians representing the Forest Service, Arizona Association of Conservation Districts, University of Arizona, and Natural Resources Conservation Service, will assist ranchers with monitoring and planning strategies for each grazing allotment.
--Technical Resource Team members will assess resource conditions and provide stocking options for individual grazing allotments.
--If the team determines that stocking is appropriate, alternatives will be presented addressing stocking levels under various management situations.
--Options presented by the Technical Resource Team will be used by Forest Service line officers when making decisions regarding stocking.
--Ranchers will stock allotments in accordance with the line officer's decision. The line officer will use monitoring based on recommendations provided by the team in determining if numbers need to be adjusted. Ranchers will subsequently adjust livestock numbers, either up or down, as directed by the line officer.
--All recommendations will be made by allotment on a case-by-case basis and conform to all legal requirements and agency policies.
"Arizona cattlemen are very excited about this opportunity to return cattle to the Tonto rangelands," says Groseta. "In addition, the months of July, August and September represent Arizona's rainy season, so we hope to see some drought relief as well."
Date: 6/24/04
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