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Oldtimer
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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 Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:11 pm Post subject: MT Land Board Votes to Double Grazing Fees |
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MT Land Board Votes to Double Grazing Fees
general admin posted on July 16, 2011 09:21
UPDATE: The Montana Land Board did vote to go forward with a proposal that would more than double the grazing fee for state land. The fee is cuurrently $6.23 per animal unit month (aum) and the proposal is to raise it to $12.88.
Now that the Land Board has said that they will be going forward, DNRC will hold hearings and allow for more public comment on the proposed changes. After the close of the comment period, they will bring back a final recommendation to the Board.
There is nothing yet on when those meetings will be or how the comment period will be conducted. We will let you know that information as soon as it becomes available!
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Oldtimer
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:49 am Post subject: |
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Just to stir conversation- here is one take on the land boards actions...
Kind of goes along with a lot of Tex's comments about the wealthy wanting government programs/subsidies- as long as its sticking more dollars in their pockets...
I wonder if the Kochs/Stockgrowers Assn will have enough pull- and stuff enough politicians pockets- to get the DNRC to reverse their recommendation before the final order  ...
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The Koch Brothers are part of the Socialist Stockgrowers Association!
by: Kevin
Mon Jul 18, 2011 at 17:27:07 PM MDT
( - promoted by Rob Kailey)
The Matador Ranch Company, owned by Koch Industries (yes, THOSE Koch Brothers), sent a representative to the Montana Land Board meeting today to protest a proposed increase to the state grazing lease rate. This rate is what the state charges ranchers who lease state-owned land for cattle grazing. The money earned from these leases helps fund schools in Montana.
The average state grazing rate is currently about $6 or $8 per month for each animal, or Animal Unit Month (AUM). The new rate being proposed is around $12 per month. Everyone recognizes that this rate has been set too low for some time, especially with cattle prices way up. The reason for proposing a new rate is that the market demands it; the average grazing rate on similar private land is $20 and higher!
But the point is, it turns out that the Koch Brothers--the supposed "defenders against socialism"--are some of our most prominent socialists! In fact, they are the state of Montana's biggest lessee. Their 300,000 acre Matador Ranch operation contains over 80,000 acres of state land. The Koch Brothers have been enjoying their subsidized rate, and they want to keep it! They don't want to pay something closer to the market rate, despite claiming to be defenders of free markets. This is "corporate welfare" in its most hypocritical form.
It's widely known that state and federal grazing rates are a subsidy to ranchers. Federal grazing rates are worse. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management rates in Montana and other western states are set at only $1.35 per AUM! The Koch Brothers cash in on that giveaway too, because another large portion of their 300,000 acre ranch is federal land.
So it turns out that the Koch Brothers are not against socialism after all. They're just against socialism for anyone but themselves. And the schoolkids of Montana can go to hell! |
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MsSage
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Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 4594
Location: NW Panhandle Texas
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:08 am Post subject: |
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How much do you pay? Do you aggree with the raise in the cost?
Or do you graze on the reservation and are exempt from any "government" fees?
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Lonecowboy
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Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 1880
Location: eastern Montana
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Oldtimer
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:13 am Post subject: |
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| MsSage wrote: |
How much do you pay? Do you aggree with the raise in the cost?
Or do you graze on the reservation and are exempt from any "government" fees? |
MsSage-- I have no government leases-- state or federal...Everything is deeded...
For comparison-private and tribal leases bordering next to state leases are going for $30+ an AUM...
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Oldtimer
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Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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ranch hand
Member
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 584
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:36 am Post subject: |
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| Oldtimer wrote: |
| MsSage wrote: |
How much do you pay? Do you aggree with the raise in the cost?
Or do you graze on the reservation and are exempt from any "government" fees? |
MsSage-- I have no government leases-- state or federal...Everything is deeded...
For comparison-private and tribal leases bordering next to state leases are going for $30+ an AUM... |
Who pays for the fence, water, tanks and improvements on the state land? Land we lease from private is furnished by the lessee unless otherwise stated and then it is taken into consideration on the price?
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Lonecowboy
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Joined: 10 Feb 2006
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Location: eastern Montana
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Lonecowboy
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 1880
Location: eastern Montana
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:53 am Post subject: |
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This is directly from the MT Secretary of State website:
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Secretary of State Linda McCulloch is a member of the state Board of Land Commissioners, which oversees the management of 5.2 million acres of school trust land across Montana. The federal government ceded the land to the state in 1889, under the Enabling Act that granted statehood. Congress expressly mandated that the land be used to generate money for the support of public schools. In 2002, the school trust produced more than $45 million for its beneficiaries: Montana students and classrooms.
The Land Board is responsible for deciding how best to generate revenue for the trust from school trust lands. It considers such options as:
Grazing and farming leases.
Timber-harvesting.
Leases for oil, gas, and mining operations.
Easements for such projects as power lines, roads, and private driveways.
Fees for recreational use.
Cabin-site leases.
Land sales and exchanges.
The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation carries out the management decisions of the Land Board through its Trust Land Management Division.
If you have a question about issues relating to school trust lands, contact or write Secretary of State Linda McCulloch's office at P.O. Box 202801, Helena, MT 59620-2801.
Other members of the Land Board are Governor Brian Schweitzer, Attorney General Steve Bullock , Auditor Monica Lindeen , and Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau . |
So the only ones that could be bribed right now to withhold raising grazing fees are all democrats. They are the only politicians that have a say in this so they are the only politicians whose pockets could be lined. By the way, it is illegal to use campaign contributions to "line your own pockets"
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Oldtimer
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Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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| ranch hand wrote: |
| Oldtimer wrote: |
| MsSage wrote: |
How much do you pay? Do you aggree with the raise in the cost?
Or do you graze on the reservation and are exempt from any "government" fees? |
MsSage-- I have no government leases-- state or federal...Everything is deeded...
For comparison-private and tribal leases bordering next to state leases are going for $30+ an AUM... |
Who pays for the fence, water, tanks and improvements on the state land? Land we lease from private is furnished by the lessee unless otherwise stated and then it is taken into consideration on the price? |
Yeah I see your point and have heard all the arguments- altho most private leases I dealt with all you got was the land--everything else was up to you to maintain, altho often times the landowner contributed/paid for the initital fence (altho many government leases have also been fenced- and crossfenced and paid for by government programs)...
And I have no dog in the hunt- just trying to see what comments I can get...
But it does make a guy wonder- when under open bidding, tribal pasture leases that border state land goes for $30+ AUM- and the fellow leasing it has to pay for all the fence, water and improvements- besides the headache of dealing with the BIA and Tribes which have been known to be rather wishy washy at times and cancelling leases for little or no reason...
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Oldtimer
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Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 24735
Location: Northeast Montana
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Lonecowboy
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Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 1880
Location: eastern Montana
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