The Stewards of the Range

Understanding the hurdles for Idaho’s ranchers on the federal level

If patience is a virtue, then the rancher is a saint. From the lockdowns, supply shortages, runaway costs, and energy shocks, I admire the steadfast and enduring spirit of Idaho’s ranchers. That also means I will continue to work with our ranchers, standing against government intervention in private market arrangements that might bring unintended consequences or harm to participants.

“I am from the government and I am here to help” doesn’t exactly convey a reassuring message these days. Ranching families know this all too well as the Biden Administration has adopted radical environmental and energy policies, created uncertainty when they expanded the “navigable waterways” doctrine, and ignored Idahoans’ role in the management of wildlife—including the gray wolf, a predator to ranching operations.

Ranching requires an understanding of the range, the proper use of waterways, the rearing of a herd, and the management of a delicate supply chain to ensure Americans have the best protein options in the world. Along with the benefits of ranching, Americans enjoy having expert grazing managers on federal lands that help keep rangeland healthy, reduces fire hazard, and keeps the heritage of family ranching intact.

Given all these benefits, why would our own federal government make the ranchers’ life more difficult? Despite urging and pleading, this administration is not doing all it can to keep en- ergy prices low. Giving in to extreme and unproven environmental policies has serious financial repercussions for ranching. That is why the House of Representatives is preparing one of the largest energy packages to increase domestic production of oil & gas, boost transportation supplies of that energy, and make permitting more predictable. We need a reasonable regulatory process, not excessive delays and stonewalling.

As beneficial users, waterways have become a point of contention for many with the revised Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule handed down from on high at the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers. The overregulation of ephemeral arteries and streams that may be dry one year, or flooding the next year, does not square with the term “navigable waterway” as traditionally understood. With the support of many in the House and Senate, the Supreme Court is taking up Sackett v. EPA, which I am hopeful prevails on the question of what the Waters of the United States actually are for the benefit of Idaho ranchers. Constraining the WOTUS rule will go far in ensuring farmers and ranchers are not harassed by teams of bureaucrats trying to determine whether or not the puddle in the main yard needs a permit for use. The House of Representatives has also moved to repeal the WOTUS rule to stop excessive agency meddling of our ranchers.

As users of the range, management

BY RUSS FULCHER U.S. Representative

of the wolf in Idaho is critical to ensuring healthy predator and prey populations, especially for ranchers experiencing losses of inventory in recent years. The politicization of this issue has meant Idaho cannot counter excess growth in wolf populations far beyond intended Endangered Species Act protection. I continue to advocate for the delisting of the gray wolf.

Lastly, as we engage in the discussions around the Farm Bill, I continue to hear from many concerned constituents about environmental overregulation. Working with my colleagues, we will do all we can to lessen the burden on you, the rancher, and allow for you to do what is best, ranching. I am fighting the introduction of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rules, standing against the federal estate tax, and ensuring the Stepped Up Basis Rule remains in place. I want you to have the option of passing on your livelihood to your children and their children. Idaho is a ranching state, and the federal government should not undermine that.

Congress cannot bestow upon you the security of a bright future – but it can get out of your way. This will allow you to do what you do best: manage the land and feed Idaho and the world.

As always, my office is available to you. I welcome your input during this time as the House of Representatives and Senate take up the next iteration of the Farm Bill.