Idaho ranchers draft constitutional amendment aimed at reinstating old grazing rules

The Idaho Cattle Association is drafting a constitutional amendment aimed at nullifying a new set of rules allowing sportsmen and conservation groups to bid on state land grazing leases.
The cattleman’s group wants to introduce the amendment to the Legislature this year. It targets rules approved by the Idaho Land Board last year that are awaiting approval by lawmakers.
Ranchers oppose the rules and the idea of letting conservation groups lease grazing allotments on about 1.8 million acres of state-owned land.
The land board, which oversees state lands, drafted the rules after a series of legal setbacks. The Idaho Supreme Court ruled the land board must make decisions that maximize the long-term economic return on the value of state land.
In some cases, conservationists have been willing to pay more than ranchers to lease the land. (AP)