About 100 farmers and ranchers heard updates from elected officials and state and federal agencies during the annual Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association meeting Saturday.
Speakers included U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, state Sen. Don Coram, Dolores and Montezuma County commissioners, Sheriff Steve Nowlin and Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart. Lauren Boebert, who is challenging Tipton for the Republican nomination, also gave a speech.
Agencies that spoke included Bureau of Land Management, San Juan National Forest, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Topics ranged from migrant workforce legislation and water rights, to statehouse politics and the upcoming November ballot question on introducing gray wolves into Colorado.
Tipton gave a legislative update.
The House passed Protecting Our Water Rights that would prohibit any federal agency from requiring the transfer of privately held water rights as a permit condition.
For example, the bill protects the right of ranchers to divert water for stock ponds, Tipton said.
“We had broad bipartisan support on this legislation,” Tipton said, “but in this Congress, Speaker Pelosi will not allow the bill to move forward. That is not leadership. We will continue to fight for our water that is the lifeblood of the Western U.S.”
Tipton warned of rules and regulations have the weight of law, but are never voted on by Congress. He cited Waters of the U.S. as one such regulation, an EPA rule that would make water resources – even irrigation ditches – subject to increased more federal control.
Tipton said his Reins Act bill redirects rule-making authority back to Congress.
“That kind of major rule needs Congressional approval,” he said. “We cannot have bureaucracy run roughshod over private property rights and state rights.”
Migrant worker billSheep herders, orchards, farmers and San Luis Valley potato growers also face labor problems under the Farm Workers Act, Tipton said.
He supports the Farm Modernization Work Act (HB 5038), which modernizes the process that migrant workers use to enter the U.S. legally under the H-2A temporary work program. In response to bill critics, including challenger Boebert, Tipton said the bill does not grant amnesty or citizenship to seasonal migrant workers.
“It creates a legal platform to get workers and create certainty for farmers to harvest the crop and tend to the herds,” he said. “It is important for U.S. agricultural security.”
In her speech, Boebert disagreed with Tipton on the Farm Workers Act, and said other conservatives have opposed it as well.
She believes it “opens the door for amnesty,” and the taxpayer support for the migrant program takes away funding from U.S. citizens.
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Wolves a concern
Farmers, ranchers and and elected officials expressed worry and opposition to the possibility that wolves could be introduced to the state and harm ranches, livestock, and elk and deer herds. They said the Nzovember ballot issue was unnecessary because wolves have already migrated to the state from the north.
Tipton said he is working on legislation that aims to restrict states from reintroducing gray wolves if science shows the species already has recovered under federal law. In some northwest states, the wolf has been delisted because of recovered populations, he noted.
State Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, reported he and rural constituents oppose wolf reintroduction. He reported a new bill to introduce wolves is sponsored by Sen. Kerry Donovan. The Vail Democrat has written legislation that would postpone wolf reintroduction efforts until money was found to reimburse ranchers who lose livestock to wolves. If the bill passes, there might not be a need for the ballot initiative, Coram said.
When asked whether he would sponsor a bill to stop wolf reintroduction, Coram said he had no plans for a bill because it would not stand a chance in the Democrat-contorlled legislature.
Dolores County commissioners also have come out against wolf reintroduction, said Commissioner Steve Garchar.
Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart said the tribal council was divided on the wolf issue, but he said wolves could put the tribe’s ranching operations at risk.
Heart invited the county commission to attend a tribal council meeting to discuss the issue, and the offer was accepted.
J. Paul Brown, a local sheepherder, urged a collective effort to persuade voters to reject wolf reintroduction. He said polling shows support for the measure so defeating it will be an “uphill battle.”
Sheriff Nowlin recognized rancher Zane Odell for his help training deputies about large-animal management, handling and protection. Using Odell’s cattle, deputies learned how to identify healthy animals so they can investigate neglect cases.
“We deeply appreciate your time and expertise. Working together makes our county a special place to live,” Nowlin said.
Other meeting highlightsKen Curtis, general manager of the Dolores Water Conservancy District, said current data show McPhee Reservoir will fill in the spring and water users will receive their full allocation. County officials reported that final approval was granted for a new meat processing facility south of Mancos. The USDA certified facility is on a 654-acre ranch, and includes 11 building-enclosed holding pens attached to the slaughterhouse on a parcel of about 13 acres.The NRCS reported that there may be more potential for grazing opportunities on Conservation Reserve Program lands. Proposed new rules may also allow partnerships with water districts to cost-share improvements with up to $900,000 in potential federal funding.jmimiaga@the-journal.com