Public-lands ranching is government dependency and redistribution of wealth, hallmarks of liberalism and the domain of the Democrat Party.
The practice can’t be defended from an economic viewpoint, as each AUM sold to the ranchers brings in $1.35 in grazing fees while the government spends around $150 to care for the horse displaced thereby. (One AUM can sustain one cow/calf pair or one wild horse for one month. The cost of off-range holding is $5 per day or more.)
Undeterred, the folks at the Berryman Institute have embarked on a plan to help the ranchers and improve their image, as explained in this presentation by director and front man Terry “Can Cougars Eat Their Way to AML” Messmer.
References to Celeste correspond to the presentation by Celeste Carlisle, Chair of the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, in cahoots with the ranchers up to her eyeballs.
Most advocates will concur with his observation that you need to put the crosshairs on the mares, not the foals.
The wild horse and burro program has been a drag on the grazing program for 51 years.
RELATED: Better if They Weren’t Even Born.
Western Horse Watchers Association 