Fourth generation Nevada rancher J.J. Goicoechera has taken the message of the beef industry to a hearing of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public lands. Speaking on behave of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, for which he serves as president, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council, Goicoechera said – recent actions by federal land management agencies are diminishing water rights and restricting access to forage on federal lands.

Goicoechera said a major challenge for ranchers across the West is dealing with the U.S. Forest Service on the issue of privately held water rights. He said the agency’s continued unwillingness to allow water improvements places the health of the range at risk, threatens ranchers’ ability to retain the water rights and ultimately results in the federal government taking private property.

The crux of the problem, he said, is that the agency is in many areas implementing a new policy of denying permits for privately owned water improvement development and maintenance unless the agency is granted partial ownership of the water right. Goicoechera says the agency’s continued actions – create the prospect of losing our water rights.