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Ranchers, BLM trade sharp words at Emery County council over feral-horse impact on allotments
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Summary
Local permit holders at the Emery County Public Lands Council meeting urged federal help after saying feral horses have left some BLM allotments unusable; federal staff said gathers have occurred and another is planned, but funding and holding‑facility capacity limit what can be done.
Ranchers and county residents used an extended Public Lands Council session on Dec. 2 to press federal officials for more aggressive action to address large feral‑horse populations they say are degrading BLM allotments and threatening livelihoods.
An attendee who identified themselves only in the transcript as a long‑time permit holder said the problem has left some allotments unusable and called for Washington to provide more authority and resources to reduce populations: "We gotta have some help here," the participant said during a heated exchange. Others described lost grazing AUMs, reduced profitability and concerns about inbreeding among horses remaining on the range.
A BLM representative responded that crews have conducted emergency gathers this season and that the agency plans another gather in 2026, but said the program faces two practical constraints: limited funding for gathers and insufficient holding‑facility capacity for animals removed from the range. "We plan on doing another gather in 2026," the representative said, while also warning that reductions in federal funding and the nationwide scale of the issue limit how many animals can be removed at once.
Speakers on both sides emphasized the complexity of the problem. Ranchers said they were willing to consider different tools, including policy changes that would allow more private‑sector involvement; federal staff and other attendees noted that gathers alone are a temporary fix without long‑term placement or treatment options for removed animals.
Council members agreed the issue requires attention from higher levels of government. The transcript records several appeals to congressional staff and federal leadership to change funding priorities and program rules governing wild‑horse management. BLM staff encouraged local permit holders to document on‑the‑ground conditions and offered to arrange site tours to provide the agency further context.
The council did not adopt any formal directive at the meeting; participants left with plans for continued engagement between local ranchers and BLM staff and a stated expectation that agency representatives would follow up on possible tours and further coordination.
What's next: BLM staff said they expect to plan another gather in 2026 but cautioned the schedule and scope will depend on funding and holding capacity.