Vasquez’s Bipartisan Ranching Without Red Tape Act Moves Forward in Senate Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, June 12, 2024, U.S.Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02)’s bipartisan and bicameral Ranching Without Red Tape Act was heard in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, bringing it one step closer to becoming law. The bill aims to make it easier for ranchers to make minor range improvements on federal lands and is supported by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Reps. John Curtis (R-UT) and John Duarte (R-CA). 

“Common-sense improvements should receive expedited approval without the red tape. That’s why I’m proud that my Ranching Without Red Tape Act is now one step closer to becoming law,” said Vasquez. “In my conversations with cattle growers and food producers, I’ve heard repeatedly about unreasonable delays in the federal permitting process to make minor improvements, such as repairing a pasture fence. This is a crucial step forward, as even simple improvement requests can take years to process, with larger projects facing even longer delays.”

The Ranching Without Red Tape Act allows ranchers on federally leased lands to make range improvements without renegotiating their permits or waiting months for a response to their requests. The bill removes bureaucratic restrictions on ranchers, allowing some of our nation’s most important producers to conduct their operations more easily while protecting our lands from major unsupervised changes. 

Vasquez is pushing the House Natural Resources Committee to take up the bill to ensure this important policy can help ranchers.

The bill is supported by New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, Utah Farm Bureau, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Wyoming Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau Federation, Wyoming Stock Growers, and Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts.

“We appreciate Congressman Vasquez and his effort to reduce the red tape associated with ranching on federal lands,” said President Larry Reagan, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau. “This legislation will help ranchers get much-needed improvements on the ground faster. Ranchers are integral partners to our federal land managers in actively managing our public lands and responsibly stewarding our natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of all.”

“Ranchers work on the ground to improve range conditions and resources.  That includes repairing breached stock tanks, cleaning those tanks, laying in pipelines, storage tanks and drinkers for water distribution and many other projects that benefit livestock and wildlife and distribute animals across the landscape.  Delays in approving improvements thwart wise stewardship. This cattle rancher endorses legislation, such as Ranching Without Red Tape, that seeks to eliminate those delays.  I am grateful to the Congressman for working to address this issue,” said Tom Paterson, owner of Spur Ranch in Catron County. 

“American ranchers are valuable stewards of our shared working lands. They work -day in and day out- to improve these vital natural resources,” said Chad Franke, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President. “Our ranchers need the flexibility to make timely improvements within their grazing allotments to ensure they can remain nimble and build resilience in a changing climate. We thank Congressman Vasquez for his leadership in bringing forward this common-sense solution for our agricultural producers.”

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