[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S3138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            71 LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

 Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, my colleague Senator Mike Crapo 
joins me today in congratulating the 71 Livestock Association of 
southwestern Idaho and northeastern Nevada on its centennial 
anniversary. On June 24, 2017, members of the 71 Livestock Association 
will gather at the Three Creek School to celebrate 100 years of good 
stewardship on our western rangelands.
  The 71 Livestock Association has deep roots in southwestern Idaho and 
northeastern Nevada and boasts a colorful heritage that defines our 
idea of western ranching. In the early 1870s, the Three Creek Area's 
premier cattleman, Joseph Scott, was the first to use a 71 brand after 
purchasing it from a Nevada rancher. The 71 Livestock Association took 
its name from that brand in homage to Scott.
  In 1905, local ranchers requested that the Federal Government look 
into creating a forest reserve to protect grazing and other resources 
on the range. Less than a year later in 1906, with Gifford Pinchot as 
the first Chief of the Forest Service, President Theodore Roosevelt 
signed into law a forest reserve in Nevada. The creation of the forest 
reserve sparked a partnership between the Three Creek Ranchers and the 
U.S. Forest Service.
  In December 1917, the ranchers of Owyhee and Twin Falls Counties came 
together to form the 71 Livestock Association with Joe E. Hawes as the 
first chairman. Noteworthy, the 71 Livestock Association started with 
both woolgrowers and cattle producers, which created a stronger 
partnership and greater collaboration among all range users and 
managers.
  In the early 1930s, livestock producers in the West were concerned 
with deterioration of the range due to uncontrolled grazing and wanted 
to better protect the public lands. Due to that concern, Congress 
passed the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934, and the 71 Livestock Association 
created its first constitution and bylaws. The Taylor Grazing Act 
established grazing boards, and the 71 Livestock Association had three 
members on Idaho's very first grazing advisory board.
  The 71 Livestock Association has seen many changes and has evolved to 
make conditions better on the range. In its formative years, they 
helped create a system for grazing as the main enforcement body on the 
forest reserve in Nevada. As the Bureau of Land Management began 
managing the range in southwestern Idaho and Elko County, NV, they 
helped to allocate range to its members and to help install key 
infrastructure like fences, pipelines, roads, phone service, electrical 
power, and even a tax levy for the Three Creek School.
  From its inception, the 71 Livestock Association has experienced many 
challenges from jackrabbit infestations, plant poisoned cattle, severe 
winters, environmental lawsuits, endangered species, National 
Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, regulations, and range fires. In 
addition, they have lived through the Sage Brush Rebellion and the 
Jarbridge Shovel Brigade. Through it all, they have been instrumental 
at bringing together ranchers and Federal, State and local agencies to 
discuss and resolve issues with a spirit of cooperation.
  Today the 71 Livestock Association has been at the center of 
rangeland fire management. In their true spirit, the 71 Livestock 
Association pitched in to help with the rehabilitation and reclamation 
of the land and helped create and develop the Rangeland Fire Protection 
Associations, RFPA. By being first on the scene, the RFPA have been 
instrumental in helping to stop fires before they develop into larger 
uncontrolled range fires.
  Because of its success and standing in the region, the 71 Livestock 
Association has seen members go on to represent constituents of 
southern Idaho in the Idaho State Legislature--notably, the late Noy 
Brackett, his son Bert Brackett, and the late George Swan.
  The 71 Livestock Association serves as a role model for Idaho and the 
Nation on how to innovate and collaborate on land management issues. 
Today they remain focused on advancing their mission of ``bettering 
conditions on the range.'' Congratulations to the 71 Livestock 
Association on a successful 100 years of operation.

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