Protect The Harvest | Bureau of Land Management Favors APR Grazing Requests

March 30, 2022

“Family ranchers and community stakeholders are disappointed by today’s announcement by the Bureau of Land Management’s decision granting a majority of changes to grazing allotments the American Prairie Reserve in Phillips County.

The Bureau of Land Management has announced a notice of proposed decision of a Finding of No Significant Impact in the request by the American Prairie Reserve affecting 7 BLM allotments in Phillips County. In short, it means that the American Prairie Reserve seems to be getting everything they wanted when it comes to changing those public land allotments in changing the status of livestock from grazing from cattle to “domestic indigenous livestock (bison)” and removing and changing interior fencing.

Family ranchers and community stakeholders are disappointed in the government’s announcement today. The Montana Stockgrowers Association Executive Vice President Jay Bodner said the BLM has failed to listen to all the concerns of all parties and community members.

“I think certainly from our organization, we did submit very substantial comments and those were not recognized in any of this decision,” said Bodner. “We are very concerned and very disappointed in this decision.