CHASE ADAMS
Senior Policy & Information Director
During the Spring Trip to Washington, D.C., a number of ASI members from across the west had the opportunity to meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Interior in a breakout session.
Covering a number of departments within the agency, producers were able to discuss Bureau of Land Management grazing, Endangered Species Act regulatory changes and continued stewardship of land and wildlife resources.
Coming on the heels of the success of meetings at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, members attending the Interior briefing met with Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Joe Balash, acting Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Andrea Travnicek, Deputy Solicitor for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Karen Budd-Falen and most critically Acting Secretary David Bernhardt, who took time away from a busy schedule to hear directly from sheep producers about the issues faced across the west.
The meeting with the acting secretary focused heavily on conservation efforts and discussions on how ranchers and the department can work together to achieve habitat goals.
With representatives in the meeting from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, as well as the Public Lands Council and American Farm Bureau, the meeting built on the strong relationship ASI has with the Interior Department and momentum from last year’s visit with then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.