Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing: Nomination of Michael Borne for Under Secretary of Agriculture

Nomination of Michael Borne

• 📌 The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee convened to consider the nomination of Michael Borne for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment.
• 💡 Borne's background includes extensive personal and family history with the Forest Service, emphasizing a deep appreciation for its role and challenges.

Forest Management and Wildfire Prevention

• 🌲 Borne views timber production as a crucial tool for forest health, resilience, and wildfire prevention, also generating revenue.
• ⚠️ He stressed the importance of active forest management and fuel reduction, especially in light of catastrophic wildfires, citing California's 2020 emissions as an example.
• 🤝 The nominee highlighted the need for cross-boundary collaboration among public, private, and tribal land managers to effectively address issues like fuels reduction and noxious weeds.

Rural Economies and Timber Industry

• 🪵 Borne emphasized the critical link between timber sales and the economic vitality of rural communities, advocating for long-term contracts to support mill operations.
• 🏘️ He recognized the challenges faced by rural economies when timber mills close and stressed the importance of a steady supply of timber to sustain these communities.

Forest Service Capacity and Proposed Changes

• 📉 Concerns were raised regarding potential impacts of workforce reductions and funding uncertainties on the Forest Service's capacity to manage wildfire risks.
• 🏛️ The proposal to move wildland fire operations from the USDA to the Department of the Interior was discussed, with questions about its potential effect on fire mitigation and land management.
• ⚖️ Borne expressed a commitment to balancing the multiple-use mandate of the Forest Service, considering recreation, timber, watershed health, and other uses.

Landowner Relations and Access

• 🏞️ Borne discussed his personal experiences as a landowner, noting that while disagreements with the Forest Service can occur, they have historically been resolved through reasonable discussion.
• 🔑 He committed to prioritizing access to national forests and grasslands for ranchers and the public, including access to section lines for grazing leases.
• ✅ Borne agreed to work with senators to ensure fair and workable grazing agreements and to collaborate with ranchers on fire control and prescribed burns.