Black eye!

You’re darn right, we fought for it! As everyone knows by now, a Federal Judge in Albuquerque has opened the door for the United State Forest Service to move forward with aerial gunning of estray cattle in the Gila Wilderness.

Going before the Judge, NMCGA knew that our attempt to stop the helicopter operation was a big mountain to climb, it was last year also. In the Judge’s own findings, “A Temporary Restraining Order is an extreme remedy”.

NMCGA and other co-filers agreed we would still step into the ring, despite the knowledge we likely would not win.…that round! The reality is this issue will go on for a few more rounds. What is of the greatest concern, now having spent a day in court, is that the USFS no longer recognizes un-branded cattle as livestock but a new class of nuisance animal. I am very proud of the dedication to the fight some of our members have pledged, allowing us as an organization to step into the ring.

Fights like this make it obvious that USFS allotments are worth less and less every single year. The USFS manipulates language of the Organic Act to wield unlimited authority in management, even when it contradicts their own referenced, long standing procedural documents. What our members and the industry needs to recognize is that a courtroom and legal action is only one branch of the Government to implement the checks of unbridled authority.

Our organization is working the three branches of government not only in the state but at the Federal level to protect the many members that hold federal grazing permits or grazing land near or bordering federally administered lands.

Once again our state faces the potential of a very active fire season. I would like to thank those individuals that have donated to the NMCGA Producer Relief Fund. As an organization we were able to help producers as well as some of our own members affected by the fires last year with feed and infrastructure. As we move through spring weather events, keep an eye on the horizon for those signs of fire and do what you can to help the people of your community.

Joe Culbertson Vice

President at Large

Amistad

Shacey Sullivan Secretary

/ Treasurer Peralta

Randell Major Immediate Past President Magadalena

Tom Sidwell

Past President Quay

The Lesser Prairie Chicken listing now has the potential to impact grazing on over one-third of the private land grazing lands of our state. Considering the BLM land which will be impacted, I wouldn’t be surprised if more than a third of our AUM’s might be affected. Working with our State Land Office, agriculture lessees are protected for incidental takes on their State Land.

It is the responsibility of the individual to protect themselves on BLM or private land. Many producers have expressed concern, questioning if they want on another government list. NMCGA is not recommending anything but as President I implore you to look into the protections available to you. We are still fighting the listing and have momentum in the new congress to address the issue.

It is easy to get discouraged at the battles ahead. As an organization we have a long history of fighting the good fight and never rolling over because the difficulty of the road ahead.

Pray your neighbor gets rain, and no lightning!

by Caren Cowan, Publisher New Mexico Stockman

In 1997 or 1998 Hugh B. McKeen went to Washington, DC to testify about the impacts the US Forest Service (USFS) had on ranchers in New Mexico and the West. As I helped him draft his testimony, I wrote a statement that said something about the agency being a partner with livestock growers.

Hugh B. asked me to take it out. He told me it has been some time since the USFS had even made a pretense of working with allotment owners. That has been a painful lesson learned over time.

My family had little interaction with federal land managers. And that was with malice of forethought.

My great-grandfather settled in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. He put his brand on his first cow, a dairy cow, in about 1884. Over the years he and my grandfather built a substantial ranch.

There was a rule that the first William