PLC Annual Meeting: Public Lands Council meets for yearly gathering on Colorado’s Western Slope
Members of the Public Lands Council (PLC) assembled in Grand Junction, Colo. for the agency’s 56th annual meeting Såpt. 17-19.
The three-day event included committee meetings, informational programming, eduåcational workshops, agency updates, an awards luncheon and multiple networking opportunities.
Opening remarks
To begin, PLC President Mark Roeber welcomed attendees to his home state of Colorado.
He shared, over the last four years, PLC has seen massive regulatory changes creating new difficulties for public lands grazing permittees, with the past year presenting its own host of challenges as well.
“Protecting grazing and supporting a future where grazing can be sustainable and secure is the top priority of this organization. Our message that grazing is good is echoing throughout the West,” Roeber said, noting PLC has spent the past year defending public lands grazing in the courtroom, investing in education and research, working with federal and state partners and increasing engagement and outreach, particularly on social media.
PLC Vice President Tim Canterbury was next to further explain the agency’s mission.
“PLC is an affiliate-driven organization. We take our marching orders from each of our 13 states,” he said. “Our diversity and experience is a strength, but there are also many issues that cut across every state and impact us all.”
Canterbury noted these issues are explored through PLC’s policy committees and producer-led policy processes. Resolutions are considered, debated, refined and passed at the annual meeting, then staff in Washington, D.C. are tasked with carrying out the directives in the policy book.
PLC Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover commented, “This is our 56th annual meeting and it is incredibly important to recognize we not only have 56 years of public lands and 56 years of meeting as this group, but I would be remiss if I didn’t also note this year is the 90th anniversary of the enactment of the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934.”
“Ninety years ago, members of Congress, livestock grazers and other folks assembled right here in Grand Junction, Colo. and talked about how to implement this new and fairly controversial law,” she continued. “This week, we have the opportunity to shape the next 56 or 90 years of what public lands grazing looks like, which looks a lot different than it did in 1934, and I imagine 2025-75 is going to look different as well.”
Glover echoed Roeber’s remarks about the challenges faced over the past year, including innumerable lawsuits filed against the agency, industry partners and other stakeholders who depend on public lands access.
“We have had a challenging year, but also an incredibly successful year,” she said. “We still face challenges. There will always be those who believe our place on the landscape is not favorable, but we continue to fight this battle each and every day.”
“And, I am so incredibly proud and thankful for our executive committee, board of directors and all of you for giving us faces, stories, histories and good examples to share in Washington, D.C.,” she added.
PLC policy update
After providing an introduction and warm welcome, Glover passed the mic to the new PLC Director Garrett Edmonds.
Although Edmonds, who is from Kentucky, admitted he is new to the West, he has a lot of experience on Capitol Hill and said he is excited to represent Western producers in Washington, D.C.
With this, Edmonds noted PLC has submitted a number of comments over the course of the past year on everything from direct herbicide strategies to experimental grizzly bear populations.
On the legislative front, PLC has penned letters of support and engaged in conversations behind the scenes.
“As we go into the 119th Congress, one of the things we are focusing on is the farm bill. I can’t express to you all how important the farm bill is,” Edmonds stated. “We are very proud Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) was willing to put this at the forefront, and we are proud to see it made it out of markup.”
Although a government shutdown looms ahead, Edmonds shared PLC is optimistic something will get done on the farm bill front.
“In regards to appropriations, it is no secret we are voting on a continuing resolution today,” Edmonds said. “We are going to be optimistic in hoping Congress does its job in getting the government funded, but we know appropriations can be a hard process and a long road ahead.”
As far as future priorities go, Edmonds explained PLC hopes to see an Endangered Species Act (ESA) that works for producers and is no longer used as a weapon against the industry.
Therefore, PLC supports U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) proposed legislation, the ESA Amendments Act of 2024, which creates a pathway to delisting species after populations recover.
“Another one of the main things going into the 119th Congress is tax. Regardless of which administration gets in, the tax package is going to be at the top of the list,” Edmonds said.
Keep an eye out for more from the 56th Annual PLC Meeting in future editions of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundp. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
