Nominee Michael Boren faces questions on wildfire strategy, timber and staffing at Senate Agriculture hearing

Michael Boren, nominated to be Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, appeared before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for a confirmation hearing.

Chairman Bozeman opened the hearing and asked the nominee to testify. Boren described a lifetime of experience with national forests, including family connections to Forest Service work and personal business activity in timber. He told the committee that "the forest service has, many tools available to it, to manage the forces, to sustain their health and diversity and productivity. And I think we should use all of them," and he emphasized timber production as one tool to improve forest health, mitigate wildfire risk and provide revenue for forest operations.

Senators used the hearing to probe several policy areas. Ranking Member Senator Amy Klobuchar pressed Boren about staffing and recent departures at the Forest Service, saying her office had reported a loss of "more than 4,000 employees since January" and asking how resignations and planned terminations would affect wildfire prevention and response. Boren said he had not yet had the opportunity to review internal staffing data but committed to working with available resources and learning the agency's staffing allocations.

Multiple senators asked about a White House proposal described in the hearing record that would move wildland fire operations out of USDA’s Forest Service and into the Department of the Interior. Boren said he did not yet have full facts on that proposal and that "cooperation with other agencies and other organizations is the way to fight fire." He added that he could see arguments for creating an agency focused on fire but that he lacked the details to endorse the transfer at the hearing.

Senators also questioned Boren about timber markets, mills and rural economies. Boren said the high cost of building modern mills — he cited figures on the order of $300 million — and the need for steady long-term timber supply and contracts make industry support complex. He urged long-term arrangements and coordination with state and private forests to support processing capacity.

Senators raised local-access and land-use issues, including grazing agreements, controlled burns and noxious-weed control. Boren said he supported increased cooperation with ranchers and local partners, pledged to be mindful of access needs and said the Forest Service should act as "a service organization for the benefit of the people." On conflicts of interest, he told the committee he had held "incredibly detailed discussions with USDA ethics attorneys" and committed to full disclosure and to following ethics advice.

Committee members thanked the nominee and signaled additional review; the record was left open for two business days. The hearing concluded with no formal committee vote recorded at that time.