The Valles Caldera National Preserve announced that it has awarded its 2009 grazing contract to a team that includes New Mexico State University, Jemez Pueblo and the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association. See this Associated Press story in the Santa Fe New Mexican, and see this story in the Los Alamos Monitor.
Among four unsuccessful bids was a widely publicized proposal by conservation group WildEarth Guardians to graze 3-5 head of cattle on the Preserve for $50,000.
The winning contract calls for the team of ranchers to graze between 500-1500 “animal units” on the Preserve this summer, depending on forage conditions. The Preserve would collect $52 per unit. [An “animal unit," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is “one mature cow of approximately 1,000 pounds and a calf up to weaning, usually 6 months of age, or their equivalent.” See this USDA page for more information]
Depending on forage conditions, based upon these figures, this contract will earn the Preserve between $26,000 and $78,000 this year. At the rate of $52 per animal unit, the ranchers would have to graze at least 962 animal units in order for the Preserve to collect the same amount of revenue that WildEarth Guardians proposed to contribute for the privilege of grazing less than half-a-dozen head of cattle.
Last summer, the Preserve earned $58,000 from a private rancher in Las Vegas, NM, who grazed 1,960 head of cattle on the old Baca Ranch.
The Preserve is stressing the unique, innovative nature of this grazing contract. “The primary objective of the proposal is focused on the development of a high altitude performance testing facility for virgin bulls and replacement heifers,” according to New Mexico State University’s Manny Encinias. “There is a nationwide market demand for progressive genetics that meet industry standards for performance and also have an ability to thrive at high elevations. Before the Trust accepted our proposal there was no high altitude facility in the U.S. where seedstock could be objectively evaluated on a 100% forage-based diet. Now we have one.”
However, WildEarth Guardians and the Valles Caldera advocacy group Caldera Action were quoted in the Associated Press objecting to the Preserve’s decision, due to several issues, including the damage to rivers and streambeds that grazing cattle has caused on the Preserve, and to the relatively small percentage of funds that cattle grazing generates relative to the Preserve’s annual budget.
“In this case, I think the rejection of our bid underscores the need for Congress to revisit the mission of the preserve itself,” said Bryan Bird of WildEarth Guardians.
WildEarth Guardians and Caldera Action also have argued that the grazing program falls short of helping the preserve become financially self-sufficient. Bird said reaching the goal might be impossible and perhaps not desirable.
“We would not ask that Yellowstone pay its own way,” he said. “This is a national treasure like any of our others in the West. I think as taxpayers we realize we may have to pay for its management and its worth that to keep it protected.”
However, the Valles Caldera National Preserve again stressed the need for innovation in order to try to achieve success for the Preserve.
“Sure there’s going to be bumps along the road and mistakes made by all parties involved but the biggest mistake that anyone can make is to be afraid of making one,” said Valles Caldera National Preserve Spokesman Terry McDermott.
The ranchers hope to have cattle on the Preserve by June 1.
