The Montana Farm Bureau has submitted a letter supporting the U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Forest Service proposal to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule. The Montana Farm Bureau Federation is a general agriculture organization, representing nearly 20,000 member families, many of whom live and work on or near Forest Service lands. They have been adversely affected by the Roadless Rule for the past 25 years.

“We applaud the agency’s move to repeal this rule on nearly 45 million acres in Montana and other parts of the West because our members believe the rule has had a negative effect contrary to the Forest Service’s mission,” explained MFBF President Cyndi Johnson in the letter. “Unilaterally prohibiting road building has made it more difficult to both suppress and reduce fire risk and to manage the tremendous natural resources these forests contain.”

Johnson said that the roadless rule has led to difficulties in fire mitigation and suppression, which has not only resulted in waste of potential lumber and grazing resources, but also has led to smoke almost every summer that adversely affects people living near and far from the forests.

“We also appreciate that the repeal of this rule is intended to return decision-making about road construction, repairs and timber harvest to local officials and forest-level land management planning,” Johnson wrote. “The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has proven to be excellent managers of both state and federal forests through Good Neighbor Authority projects, having nearly 55,000 acres treated or under contract for treatment in Montana alone. This experience will make them great partners.”