Daley honored at national public lands meeting

This Land is Your Land

UPDATE FROM ANNUAL PLC MEETING, DALEY RECEIVES TOP HONOR

from Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur

After two years of virtual annual meetings necessitated by the pandemic, nearly 200 public lands ranchers and their supporters from across the western United States converged upon Cody, Wyo., between Wednesday, Aug. 24 and Friday, Aug. 26, gathering in person once again for the 54th Public Lands Council (PLC) Annual Meeting.

California’s delegation was headed up this year by Dave Daley, Oroville, and Todd Swickard, Standish.

Wednesday saw an all-day board of directors meeting, during which one director from each PLC affiliate state convened to consider proposals for PLC grant funding, followed by a cocktail hour during which permittees from throughout the West greeted each other and caught up after the more-than-two-year hiatus from in-person meetings.

The business of the annual meeting kicked off in earnest on Thursday morning with the opening general session, during which Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon and city of Cody's Mayor Matt Hall greeted attendees to the Cowboy State and highlighted ranching’s central importance to the landscape, economy and lifestyle of the state. U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Robert Bonnie also greeted attendees with opening remarks on the important role ranchers play in stewarding our nation’s public lands.

The day also featured panel discussions on managing public lands amidst increased public demand in a postCOVID world and working lands’ role in the national discussion of climate change and carbon sequestration.

In committee meetings on Thursday and Friday, ranchers debated a wide range of policy issues, including conflicts between ranchers and public lands recreators; emerging trends on the development of wildlife habitat corridors; management of feral horses, gray wolves, grizzly bears and sage grouse (among other wildlife); post-fire rangeland recovery; and a wide range of other topics that impact grazing permittees’ stewardship of federal lands.

On Thursday night, attendees were treated to the debut screening of the first documentary film in a series dubbed “Range Reels,” focused on the land stewardship of Evanston, Wyo., rancher Shaun Sims. In the fourminute film, Sims notes that “ranchers like me and my family are the ones who take care of…640 million acres of public lands across the West,” conserving hundreds of species of wildlife and the native grasses that sequester “the largest store of above and below ground carbon in North America.” Sims was on hand for a brief Q&A after the screening.

The annual meeting concluded on Friday, Aug. 26 with a banquet at Cody’s Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The banquet was preceded by a cocktail hour during which attendees enjoyed private access to the Cody Firearms Museum; with more than 4,000 firearms on display, the collection is the most extensive firearms museum in the United States.

At the banquet, CCA’s own Dave Daley was honored as the recipient of the PLC Presidential Award, bestowed each year by the PLC President in recognition of “an exemplary member of the public lands ranching community who has made a notable contribution to promoting livestock production on federal lands.”

Daley certainly fits the bill. After concluding his term as CCA President from 2017-18, Daley served for three years as chair of the California Public Lands Council, a PLC state affiliate. In recent years Daley has also served as chair of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Federal Lands Committee and chair of PLC’s Forest Service Committee. Daley is currently the chair of PLC’s Ecosystem & Environment Committee. In addition to his many roles squarely focused on advancing the

priorities of federal lands grazing permittees, Daley also chairs the California Cattle Council.

Daley’s selection for the presidential award was made by outgoing PLC President Niels Hansen, a Wyoming rancher, and presented by then-PLC Vice President Mark Roeber of Colorado. Roeber was effusive in his praise of Daley as he bestowed the PLC Presidential Award upon the California rancher.

“It is difficult to think of another permittee who has given more of their time, energy and personal mettle to the advancement and evolution of our industry than Dave Daley,” Roeber said. “He is relentless in his pursuit of the facts, a true champion for science-based land management and flexible, ecosystem-specific strategies. Dave’s dedication to science-based management is anything but dispassionate. He couples his intense knowledge on the issues with a vivid and sincere commitment to advocacy. He is a masterful storyteller and a masterful educator. His voice brings clear and thoughtful truths to those who may not otherwise have reason to encounter federal lands ranching, and his candid approach has given this industry new platforms to reach those who can meaningfully invest in this way of life.”

In recent years, Daley has been a passionate advocate for improved wildfire prevention and response measures on federal lands after suffering the effects of 2020’s Bear Fire on his Forest Service permit in the Plumas National Forest. Emerging from that experience, Daley has championed emergency ranch access during wildfires and other emergencies, grazing as a fire fuels treatment and improved post-fire management (among other priorities) and has reached an expansive audience with his writings about the Bear Fire, which have been republished by the Los Angeles Times and other outlets (an update on Daley’s experiences in the aftermath of the Bear Fire, “Reflections on a Tragedy… Two Year Later,” will appear in next month’s California Cattleman).

The closing banquet was also an opportunity for the public lands ranching community to pay tribute to former PLC president Brice Lee, a Colorado public lands rancher who passed away late last year. A silent auction held in conjunction with the banquet raised more than $11,000, which PLC says “will be donated in Brice’s name to the Colorado Cattlemen’s ‘Coming Home’ campaign.”

Finally, the banquet marked the installation of PLC’s new officer team which over the next two years “will lead PLC’s advocacy, education and outreach efforts in Washington, D.C. and across the West.” Colorado’s Roeber was elevated to the presidency, with Colorado rancher Tim Canterbury being installed as vice president. Nevada ranch Ron Cerri joined the leadership team as PLC Secretary. Wyoming’s Hansen will now fulfill the duties of the immediate past president. Brenda Richards – a former PLC president representing the state of Idaho – continues her term as PLC Treasurer.

After more than two years apart – convening only via phone calls and computer screens – the Cody excursion was a welcome opportunity for old friends to reconnect and celebrate the work of grazing permittees. With any luck, permittees will gather in person again next year to celebrate the stewardship and lifestyle of public lands ranching.

ON TOUR

CCA STAFF & OFFICERS MAKE ROUNDS AT LOCAL CATTLEMEN EVENTS

by CCA Associate Director of Communications Maureen LaGrande

The sound of a gavel and “I call this meeting to order” signals that business is about to begin.

Throughout the fall and spring members of the CCA staff and officers make it a priority to attend county cattlemen’s group tour meetings. The goal is to make it to at least one meeting for each local association every year. Every meeting is run differently from the next, enabling each group to add in their own unique twist to their meeting.

To schedule these fall tour dates, CCA Director of Finance and Events, Lisa Brendlen reaches out to the local presidents and contacts to mark down their tour date on the calendar. Staff and officers attend these meetings to provide updates to members on legislation and regulatory efforts.

Besides providing updates, the main purpose of CCA leadership’s attendance at these meetings is to connect with and hear of what is impacting members at the local level.

As CCA begins to make their fall tour meeting run up and down the state, local officers from a few different cattlemen’s groups share in this Q&A about their fall meetings for this year and years past. If you are involved with a local association, keep reading to hear how other groups around the state run their events and get ideas for your next meeting.

SISKIYOU COUNTY CATTLEMEN GRACE WOODMANSEE

What role do you play in your local cattlemen’s?

As the UC Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resource Advisor for Siskiyou County, I collaborate with the Siskiyou County Cattlemen’s Association board to host educational and outreach events.

How often do you have meetings?

Board meetings are the first Thursday of every month.

What does the structure of your fall meeting that CCA staff and officers attend look like?

Our fall tour rotates between the three valleys in Siskiyou County: Scott Valley, Shasta Valley and Butte Valley. Traditionally, ranchers from the valley we’re touring host 2-3 tour stops and everyone comes together at the end of the tour for the BBQ and awards ceremony. This year, our tour was hosted by Scott Valley ranchers and focused on direct-to-consumer ranching operations. Our hosts were Jenner Family Beef, Star Walker Organic Farms and Crown H Cattle Co. They created a really fun and informative program for us!

Is there anything unique about your meeting?

Along with our tour stops, we often host a tradeshow during the BBQ. This year, since our tour was focused on direct-to-consumer ranching operations, we decided to try something a little different. We were excited to highlight several of Scott Valley's diverse direct-to-consumer businesses at a tradeshow during our BBQ. Our vendors included Denny Bar Co. and Etna Brewery, the California Peony Company, Farm Girl Provisions and Siskiyou Farm Co.

Do you switch it up, or is the meeting in the same format most years?

The traditional, on-ranch tour format is what we usually plan, but occasionally topics are a better fit for a single location. For example, our 2021 tour featured a stockmanship clinic hosted by Curt Pate and sponsored by the California Beef Council.

What is the most crucial aspect of hosting a meeting?

I think it helps to start with a lot of enthusiasm for the tour topic. If you are excited about the program, that excitement carries through and gets others excited and engaged. It’s also really fun to plan tours that the whole community can engage in, which creates opportunities for folks to get more connected with local ranchers and learn more about the cattle industry.

How do you draw in attendees?

Everyone in the community is invited to the tour and regular meetings.

PLUMAS-SIERRA COUNTY CATTLEMEN CAROLYN ROBERTI

What role do you play in your local cattlemen’s group?

I serve as secretary and have for close to 10 years. Previously this position was also secretary/treasurer, but recently it was split into two positions.

of our members are here during the summer months. We also have a cattlemen’s BBQ at the Plumas-Sierra Fair in August and our fall tour meeting.

What does the structure of your fall meeting that

CCA staff and officers attend look like?

Over the last few years, the structure of the meeting has changed. Last year Paul and Sheri Roen hosted the fall meeting and BBQ at their home. We also hosted a ranchers’ forum before the meeting where our local members had the opportunity to ask questions to the CCA staff and officers in attendance, Tony Toso and Billy Gatlin.

This year the meeting and BBQ will once again take place at the Roen’s home but this year we are adding in something fun, a dance with a DJ!

Is there anything unique about your tour meeting?

It’s always nice to have the CCA staff and officers come speak at our local meeting in the fall. We really want to hear from the staff, learn of what they are working on and what they have to say. We really appreciate the staff and officers that come to join us and want them to feel that they have enough time to fully update us. This year our main speakers will be the staff and officers who attend the fall meeting.

Do you switch it up, or is the meeting in the same format most years?

The last two years our meeting has stayed in the same location and I believe that our meeting next year will stay in Sierra Valley for a tour. A few years back our meeting took place in Indian Valley where we went on a bus tour and heard from those who ranched in the valley, had dinner and our meeting.

Siskiyou fall tour attendees at the Etna park BBQ.

Members of the Plumas-Sierra Cattlemen at their fall meeting

What is the most crucial aspect of hosting a meeting?

It’s great to come together as people involved in the same industry, the camaraderie and seeing those within our area. It has been a difficult last few years with the drought and it’s encouraging to speak with others, learn how they run their operations and celebrate what we do. What we do is feed the world and it’s cool to take that into perspective.

How do you draw in attendees?

We have a good email list, we send an e-invite, postcards and advertise on Facebook to help get the word out. We also invite our local supervisors to attend our tour meeting as well so that they can hear from our ranchers. To attend our events, you do not have to be a member. Anyone is welcome.

Cattleman Dennis Wood accepting the 2020 Lassen County Cattleman of the Year award at Lassen Cattlemen’s 2021 fall meeting.

SONOMA-MARIN COUNTY CATTLEMEN MIKE FURLONG

©CAL POLY What role do you play in your local cattlemen’s

group?

I serve as president.