Tipton and Colleagues Address Sheep and Grazing Issues

Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) and a number of his Western colleagues reiterated a request to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior for, “steps focused on finding solutions that prevent further loss of the domestic sheep industry and setbacks in the conservation of wild sheep.” Their letter outlines concerns with the unclear communication from the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the issue as they have closed domestic sheep grazing allotments throughout the West, as well as with the lack of adequate scientific consultation and public discussion on the agencies’ heavy-handed actions, and on the absence of a clear plan to eliminate risks of disease transmission and identify alternative allotments to allow grazing to continue without disrupting the wild bighorn sheep population.