February 25, 2004

The Voluntary Grazing Permit Buyout Act, HR 3324, would pay ranchers to permanently retire their public land grazing leases. Today, taxpayer subsidies to federal land ranchers cost $500 million every year. Nonetheless, many public land ranchers struggle financially to turn a profit. This bill would give ranchers a choice to voluntarily sell back their permits for at a one-time price of $175 per animal unit month. Savings from ending the subsidies would pay back taxpayers in only 6 years.

The ecological damage of public land livestock grazing is stunning. Livestock graze on most national forests. They compete directly with wildlife for food, trample soils, defoul water supplies, and advance the spread of noxious weeds.

To support the end to public land overgrazing, please call your two U.S. Senators and House representative. You can do so through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Or, click here for a directory of U.S. Senators and here for a House directory.

Ask them to support HR 3324, the Voluntary Grazing Permit Buyout Act, and protect our public lands from overgrazing.