Public Land Grazing

Managing livestock grazing public lands in an FMD outbreak poses unique challenges for ranchers. An effective response will require interagency collaboration with the federal land management agencies and the state and federal officials managing the outbreak. An Advisory Group of public land grazing stakeholders consisting of Western States sheep and cattle producers, the Public Lands Council (PLC), State Animal Health Officials (SAHO), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Wildlife Services (WS), USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) worked together to determine livestock management options and movement decision criteria guidance. An overview is provided in the Executive Summary.

Guidance Documents

• Movement Decision Criteria for Industry and Regulatory Officials Managing Cattle and Sheep Grazing Federal Public Lands during an FMD Outbreak
• Roles of Agencies in Non-outbreak and FMD Outbreak Situations: Permitting Sheep and Cattle Grazing Federal Public Lands
• Management Practices and FMD Exposure Risks for Sheep and Cattle Grazing Federal Public Lands
• Just-in-Time Biosecurity and Exposure Questionnaire for FMD: Livestock Grazing Public Lands (TYPE info) – fillable PDF
• Just-in-Time Biosecurity and Exposure Questionnaire for FMD: Livestock Grazing Public Lands (WRITE info) – Word document

Ranchers with livestock on their base property at any point in time are encouraged to develop an enhanced biosecurity plan for that premises. As a result of this project, a section on “Grazing Public Lands” has been included in the Biosecurity Checklist and Information Manual for Pasture/Rangeland and both Plan Templates (type and write-in). The Feedlot Biosecurity Checklist and Information Manuals remain unchanged.