Assembly Bill 434 seeks to make grazing on state lands more accessible as a means of combating wildfires in California. Introduced by Assemblymember Robert Rivas, the bill will authorize state agencies to issue long-term grazing leases for ranchers. The Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the State Lands Commission would be allowed to lease certain lands to reduce fuels and mitigate wildfire risk. The bill is being sponsored by the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA).
“We need to reintroduce grazing where appropriate on to state lands. And to do so in such a manner that helps to mitigate some of those fuels in lands that have not been grazed for, in some cases, decades,” said Dave Daley, Butte County rancher and CCA past president. “This is an interesting challenge to get people who are not familiar with cattle grazing to recognize what a tool it is, what a potential important solution it can be in some of these places to mitigate fuel loads.”
Listen to the radio report below.
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