Dr. Dave Daley, representing the California Cattlemen’s Association, Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), testified before a House committee about the benefits of using grazing to control wildfires.
In the House Natural Resources Committee’s field hearing titled “Conservation in a Crown Jewel: A Discussion About Wildfires and Forest Management,” Daley testified on the need for the government to look holistically at land management.
“In the wake of historic wildfire seasons in recent years, even this state has taken note of the value livestock bring to wildfire resilience,” Daley said. “Wildfire resilience practices such as livestock grazing work and confronted with the very real threat of worsening wildfire conditions, there ought to be bipartisan consensus endorsing these effective tools.”
He recommended Congress recognize that livestock grazing is an important tool for reducing wildfires, and that Congress utilize legislation to strengthen tools like grazing, prescribed fire, timber thinning and other practices.
“Cattle producers are in a unique position to help reduce the threat of wildfire if the federal government only acknowledged their critical role and relied on their land management expertise,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane.
