This week, we’ve been on a Grand Adventure, driving to the R-CALF convention with the car full of magazines, books, a backdrop, and all the accoutrements for a professional booth at the R-CALF vendor trade show. We’ve listened to the presentations, gathered as much information as we can, and met as many ranchers and industry people as possible.

What a beautiful trip across just a few states of this impressive country of ours, getting the RANGE booth set up from Fallon, Nevada, to Rapid City, South Dakota. What should have been two eight-hour days, dragged out to a 12-hour first day and a five-hour drive that turned into a solid eight. My team back home will tell you I sometimes have troubles focusing – squirrel! – but haven’t we all wanted to drive across the country, stopping whenever we see something amazing and just taking our sweet time? Finally, I just let this trip be that, and it has been inspiring!

Over the next few days, I’ll be going through my pages and pages of notes and put together an extensive report on all the presentations. The information that was given this week is important and timely — but for today, a run-down of the opening session.

As always – help us spread the word and get this important information out to the world. Remember to share the link to subscribe to the print edition of RANGE magazine with all your friends and family! Just $25 for four issues each year.

R-CALF USA opened the annual convention Tuesday evening in Rapid City with a call for producers and local governments to become more directly involved in federal policy debates affecting private property, cattle identification, country-of-origin labeling, trade, and animal health.

Margaret Byfield, executive director of American Stewards of Liberty, delivered the opening presentation and urged cattle producers to support legislation seeking changes to the federal Endangered Species Act.

Byfield described her organization’s work with landowners and local governments facing federal land-use restrictions. American Stewards of Liberty was formed after her family became involved in a decades-long property-rights lawsuit against the federal government — she was raised on a Nevada ranch and is the daughter of Wayne Hage.

Her immediate focus on Tuesday was H.R. 1897, the Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2025, introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas.

Byfield said her organization approached the legislation from the standpoint of protecting smaller landowners, arguing that policies written for small operations will generally work for larger landowners, while policies designed around large corporations can create unintended burdens for families and smaller producers.

She highlighted two provisions added during the House committee process.

The first would require congressional approval for critical-habitat designations exceeding 50,000 acres. Byfield said large habitat designations can place substantial restrictions on private landowners and argued Congress should be accountable for decisions covering such extensive areas.

The second would require federal agencies to coordinate with local governments while preparing the scientific analysis used to determine whether a species should be listed.

Byfield emphasized that federal policies are ultimately implemented in counties and communities, where the economic and land-use consequences are felt. Requiring coordination, she said, would give local governments a more meaningful role before federal decisions are finalized.

The bill has advanced through the House Natural Resources Committee but has not yet passed the full House. Byfield said concerns raised by members from Florida and other Eastern states prevented an earlier floor vote.

American Stewards of Liberty is now building a coalition of producers, landowners, county commissioners, and state lawmakers supporting the bill. Byfield encouraged attendees to contact their congressional representatives and ask county commissions to consider resolutions of support.

Following Byfield’s presentation, R-CALF USA committee leaders updated members on several of the organization’s active policy efforts.

Electronic Cattle Identification

The animal-identification committee reported that R-CALF USA’s lawsuit challenging USDA’s electronic identification mandate is currently under a temporary stay while negotiations continue.

The federal rule requires certain cattle and bison moving across state lines to carry identification that is both visually and electronically readable. It applies primarily to sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months or older, dairy cattle, rodeo and recreational cattle, and animals moving to exhibitions.

Committee chairman Kenny Fox said USDA has acknowledged that states may authorize their own identification systems for movements within state boundaries. Wyoming and Texas have developed state metal tags, he said, but those tags generally cannot replace electronic identification when covered animals cross state lines.

Fox asked members whether R-CALF USA should settle the lawsuit based on concessions involving metal vaccination tags or continue challenging the broader interstate mandate. A show of hands favored continuing the case.

Fox said producers who voluntarily use electronic identification for marketing or source-verification programs should be free to do so, but R-CALF USA remains opposed to making the technology mandatory.

Country-of-Origin Labeling

The mandatory country-of-origin labeling committee reported continued work through a national coalition seeking restoration of mandatory labeling for beef.

Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate, with 11 co-sponsors reported in each chamber. They said the issue has gained greater visibility in Washington and remains one of R-CALF USA’s highest priorities.

The organization supported the voluntary “Product of USA” labeling rule as a limited step but maintains that voluntary labeling is not a substitute for mandatory country-of-origin labeling.

Members were asked to photograph beef products carrying the new USA label when they encounter them in retail stores and send the information to the R-CALF USA office. Committee members said their early store checks had found little clearly labeled product.

Trade and Food SecurityThe

Trade Committee reported that the committee is being reorganized to better support R-CALF USA’s broader trade work.

The committee plans to identify senators who may become reliable allies on cattle and agricultural trade issues, particularly members with influence over trade agreements.

Eric Nelson said future policy discussions will increasingly connect food security with national security. He argued that trade policy should consider whether the United States retains enough domestic production capacity to provide essential food rather than becoming overly dependent upon imports.

Screwworm Response

The Animal Health Committee reported that New World screwworm has become its most urgent concern.

USDA confirmed two cases in calves in Zavala County, Texas, earlier this month, with reports of the latest case near San Angelo. The parasite’s larvae enter wounds and feed on living tissue, creating a serious threat to livestock, wildlife, pets, and, in rare cases, people.

The committee has been working to answer producer questions, writing articles, and seeking additional prevention and treatment tools.

They are also pushing for approvals of ivermectin for treatment, faster deployment of sterile-fly production, and dispersal capacity. Sterile male flies are released to interrupt reproduction and were central to the earlier eradication of screwworm from the United States.

Members from Texas and neighboring states were encouraged to contact elected officials and continue pressing for a rapid, coordinated response.

Committee reports also covered membership growth, trade policy, and efforts to recruit more cattle and sheep producers into the organization.

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SBA Hearing in Elko Focuses on Wild Horse Impacts on Rural Businesses

The Small Business Administration held a Federal Regulatory Fairness Hearing on June 1 in Elko to hear directly from Nevada ranchers, public-land users, and local officials about the economic impacts of wild horse and burro management on rural businesses.

The hearing was held at the Nannini Administration Building and hosted by Robert E. Bolen, SBA National Ombudsman and Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Enforcement. Participants included Mitch DeZort, SBA senior advisor for rural affairs; Steven Snow, Region 9 administrator; J.J. Goicoechea, director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture; and Alan Shepherd, deputy state director for resources, lands, and planning for the Nevada State Office of the Bureau of Land Management.

The focus of the meeting was the ongoing conflict between federally protected wild horse populations, public lands grazing, wildlife habitat, and the small businesses that depend on the range.

Ranchers from across northern Nevada told SBA officials that horse numbers above appropriate management levels are reducing available forage and water, damaging fences and springs, and forcing ranchers to buy hay, lease private pasture, or sell cattle they otherwise would keep. Several speakers said the problem is no longer just a range issue, but a rural economic issue affecting feed stores, truckers, veterinarians, equipment suppliers, local tax bases, and food production.

Scott Egbert, a rancher in Ruby Valley, testified that because of horse pressure and drought, he is paying tens of thousands of dollars each year to haul and pasture cattle elsewhere. Martin Paris, who currently serves as the executive director of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, said horses breaking into private corrals have caused damage, labor costs, and losses to registered mares. Others said cattle operations are being reduced at a time when the national cattle herd is already low, and beef prices are high.

Speakers also raised concerns about impacts to wildlife, hunting, water sources, and public safety. Sportsmen and wildlife advocate, Joel Blakeslee, said horse overpopulation is degrading habitat used by mule deer, sage grouse, and other species. Several speakers also discussed horse-vehicle collisions, especially in areas where horses move near highways and communities.

A recurring theme was frustration that the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act already gives the federal government management authority, but Congress and federal agencies have not funded or implemented the program aggressively enough to keep herds at legal management levels. Speakers urged more gathers, better interagency coordination, and recognition that ranching operations are small businesses directly affected by federal regulatory decisions.

Goicoechea said Nevada agencies and BLM staff are working within limited resources, but emphasized that horse movement across herd areas and county lines requires greater, coordinated efforts.

Bolen and SBA officials said testimony from the Elko hearing will be included in the national record, along with testimony from a recent hearing held in Arizona, as the SBA continues to review regulatory burdens on small businesses.

Remember, you can find all the RANGE books, RANGE merch, and all the fun things at the Great Basin Trading Co. website. www.GreatBasinTrading.com

This week we’re featuring the ever-popular baseball t-shirt with the best RANGE logo ever! Buy yours today here…

Across America, rural communities are losing the reporters, editors, publishers, and local newspapers that once kept people informed, connected, and accountable.

When that happens, the loss is bigger than a newspaper.

School board meetings go uncovered. Public notices are missed. Local elections receive less scrutiny. Land and water decisions move forward with fewer people watching. Rumor replaces reporting. Social media fills the silence. Communities become easier to overlook and harder to understand.

RANGE Community Foundation was created to help protect what remains — and build what comes next — based on the age-old concept that Rural Journalism is Civic Infrastructure.

Through the foundation, you can join us to support independent rural journalism, publishing projects, school and library distribution, community archives, and first-hand storytelling about the people and landscapes that sustain America.

This work is so important because rural communities deserve accurate reporting from people who understand these places, know the history, and are willing to tell the stories.

Journalism is not free to produce. It requires time, travel, documents, interviews, editing, printing, technology, and experienced people committed to getting the facts right.

For too long, rural journalism has been expected to survive on shrinking advertising, exhausted publishers, and the goodwill of people already carrying too much.

That model is not enough.

If we believe rural communities matter, we must fund the reporting that keeps them visible.

Your gift to RANGE Community Foundation is tax-deductible through our approved 501 (c) (3) organization, and will help preserve and expand independent rural journalism where it is needed most.

Support the reporting. Preserve the record. Keep rural America visible.

Have a great week, we’ll be in touch…