United States Grazing Service
Encyclopedia
The United States Grazing Service was a part of the United States Department of the Interior
that managed grazing lands and carried out the Taylor Grazing Act
, which lease
d public land for grazing
. It was later merged with the General Land Office
to form the Bureau of Land Management
.
was passed in 1934 by the United States Congress
, an office under the Department of the Interior was also created to manage the act. It was first called the Division of Grazing, but later was renamed the U.S. Grazing Service in 1939. Its responsibilities were to enforce the act, which leased public lands to farmers and ranchers for grazing.
The Grazing Service encountered multiple problems, such as very low fees to lease land, which could not be raised due to opposition from farmer
s, budget
reductions enacted by Congress, or unlawful use of the lands. Hoping to better control improper use of the lands, the Grazing Service moved its headquarters from Washington, D.C.
to Salt Lake City, Utah
.
With so much conflict surrounding the Grazing Service, the Secretary of the Interior
combined the Grazing Service and the General Land Office to form the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1946. The BLM was given the responsibilities of the former U.S. Grazing Service and General Land Office.
The BLM retained control of its laws until 1976. In that year, Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
(FLPMA). The FLPMA removed the responsibilities of the former General Land Office. It also changed fees and some regulations in the BLM's other set of responsibilities, which had been owned by the Grazing Service, and that are still used today.
The late Wyoming State Representative
George R. Salisbury, Jr.
, of Carbon County
worked for the Grazing Service prior to World War II
.
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
that managed grazing lands and carried out the Taylor Grazing Act
Taylor Grazing Act
The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 is a United States federal law that provides for the regulation of grazing on the public lands to improve rangeland conditions and regulate their use....
, which lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
d public land for grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
. It was later merged with the General Land Office
General Land Office
The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
to form the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
.
History
When the Taylor Grazing ActTaylor Grazing Act
The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 is a United States federal law that provides for the regulation of grazing on the public lands to improve rangeland conditions and regulate their use....
was passed in 1934 by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, an office under the Department of the Interior was also created to manage the act. It was first called the Division of Grazing, but later was renamed the U.S. Grazing Service in 1939. Its responsibilities were to enforce the act, which leased public lands to farmers and ranchers for grazing.
The Grazing Service encountered multiple problems, such as very low fees to lease land, which could not be raised due to opposition from farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s, budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
reductions enacted by Congress, or unlawful use of the lands. Hoping to better control improper use of the lands, the Grazing Service moved its headquarters from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
With so much conflict surrounding the Grazing Service, the Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
combined the Grazing Service and the General Land Office to form the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1946. The BLM was given the responsibilities of the former U.S. Grazing Service and General Land Office.
The BLM retained control of its laws until 1976. In that year, Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
Federal Land Policy and Management Act
Federal Land Policy Management Act, or FLPMA , is a United States federal law that governs the way in which the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management are managed. The law was enacted in 1976 by the 94th Congress. Congress recognized the value of the public lands, declaring...
(FLPMA). The FLPMA removed the responsibilities of the former General Land Office. It also changed fees and some regulations in the BLM's other set of responsibilities, which had been owned by the Grazing Service, and that are still used today.
The late Wyoming State Representative
Wyoming House of Representatives
The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
George R. Salisbury, Jr.
George R. Salisbury, Jr.
George Ralph Salisbury, Jr. , was the patriarch of the Ladder Ranch, a cattle and sheep operation in Carbon County in southern Wyoming, and a Democratic member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1975 to 1986...
, of Carbon County
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
worked for the Grazing Service prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.