Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, livestock producers in Wyoming and across the West have been battling for years against a Federal Government that has attempted systematically to reduce grazing allotments on public lands.

My amendment would simply make vacant grazing allotments available for our producers should their existing allotments become unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances such as wildfire, drought, other natural disasters, or litigation.

Today, some of our ranch families are facing extreme hardship. They are at risk of losing their livelihood because of factors beyond their control. Frivolous lawsuits have often resulted in a complete loss of grazing rights for some of our producers who have been grazing on public lands for generations.

Mr. Chairman, these circumstances can lead to situations where our ranchers face two options. They either force their livestock to graze in confined conditions that are unsuitable and can't support the stock, or they have to sell their livestock at fire-sale prices.

We have seen family ranches go out of business and others that are now facing the prospect that their allotments will be lost within the next year--this, all despite the fact, Mr. Chairman, that the Forest Service has vacant allotments available nearby.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would provide relief and justice for these family ranch operations. It would ensure that Federal agencies honor the terms of these allotments. Best management practices would be maintained, Mr. Chairman, by ensuring that the terms and the conditions of the original allotments are honored on the new ones.

Allowing our ranchers to move their livestock to vacant allotments is plain common sense, and it is the right thing to do, Mr. Chairman, for our livestock industry.

Our hardworking ranch families shouldn't face the potential of economic ruin because of natural disaster or frivolous lawsuits. My amendment will help protect them while we keep them on landscapes they have grazed on for generations.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to provide stability and peace of mind for our ranchers across the West.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

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Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my cosponsor, Mr. Newhouse, and I would also like to thank Chairman Conaway for his work on this important bill overall.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that will just provide justice for our ranch families.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time

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