U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp met with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen and called on her agency to collaborate with North Dakota ranchers to maintain fair grazing fees and develop smarter management strategies that strengthen the state’s rural economy.
During their meeting, Heitkamp pressed Chief Christiansen on concerns she has heard from ranchers across North Dakota— including challenges related to proposed grassland fee increases and USFS management of prairie dogs on grazing allotments. Additionally, Heitkamp encouraged Chief Christiansen to review several public road and access issues near federal lands and to work with local leaders when planning prescribed burns.
“North Dakota livestock producers play by the rules when it comes to grazing on federal lands. But too often, the Forest Service doesn’t adequately respond to ranchers’ management concerns,” said Heitkamp. “Our state’s ag economy depends on the hard work of ranchers, and I pressed Chief Christiansen to speak directly with these North Dakotans to answer their questions about fire prevention, prairie dogs, and maintaining affordable grazing fees. Particularly as last year’s drought and this year’s trade war have weakened cattle prices, our ranchers need certainty— and by building stronger relationships with North Dakota’s grazing associations and gathering feedback from rural communities, the agency can accomplish this goal.”