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Show Rangeland Development Program Strides Noted "Significant strides have been made with the Western States Rangeland Development program since the conference on Agriculture held in Salt Lake City last year," says Ben W. Lindsay, director of the Division of Agriculture Development, Utah Department of Agriculture. "Bach state has a representative for a Western State's rangeland committee and part of the states have a rangeland development committee organized for leadership of their respective states. Landlords of state, private and federal lands are working together to facilitate a development program that will benefit all segments of society in developing watersheds and conserving valuable topsoil." The Western Governors' Conference on Agriculture held at Billings, Montana, April 1-3, included a wide range of subjects of primary interest to the economy of the West. One subject of special significance was the "Development of Rangeland Resources." According to Mr. Lindsay, "the magnitude and Importance of rangeland in the Western States is awesome to say the least. To gain the full prospective, we must look at 753 million acres with 75 percent or 565 million acres classified as rangeland. Each of the 11 western states has over 67 percent of their area in rangeland and some states over 90 percent range. Political circumstances at this date suggest that the States of Hawaii and Alaska be considered separately from the H Western States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming who are 11 members of the Western Governors' Conference." The bulk of western rangeland is owned by three landlords, namely: federal government, state government and private citizens. This type of land ownership pattern makes it necessary for funds to be made available from all sources to stimulate an orderly program of development and improvement of this vast renewable resource. "Livestock production from these ranges can easily be doubled," says Mr. Lindsay. "In addition, all other rangeland uses and value would benefit. With a greater variety of feed and habitat, wildlife and bird populations would increase. Increased vegetation would reduce erosion and provide improved water quality, a commodity in greater demand each year as the need for energy, industry, agriculture and human consumption increases." Improved rangeland for present and future generations is vitally important to the R person seeking scenery or open space; the recreationist seeking an enjoyable outdoor experience; the urban resident demanding a high quality water supply; the person interested in a healthy, viable wildlife population; the consumer who desires an economical diet that includes red meat products and the rural family and community which depends on livestock grazing for their livelihood and economic stability. |