Once called the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative or GLCI, the National Grazing Lands Coalition is a nationwide consortium of individuals and organizations working together to maintain and improve the management and the health of the Nation’s grazing lands, mostly private but also public. The Coalition is driven by agricultural producers, conservation, scientific, watershed, erosion control, a
nd other environmental organizations for the benefit of America’s grazing lands resource. The NatGLC seeks to carry out its activities through local, state and national partnerships. It informs the public of the contributions well-managed grazing lands make to the quality of life of every citizen. The NatGLC is founded on the principles of voluntary action by those who own and manage grazing lands, and a respect for private property rights. The NatGLC emphasizes high quality, voluntary technical assistance, expanded grazing lands research and education, and a more knowledgeable and informed public. The NatGLC was established at a meeting in Bozeman, Montana in June 1991. The meeting was called by representatives of state and national agricultural, conservation, wildlife, and scientific organizations. The organizations were concerned about the declining level of technical assistance being provided by NRCS to owners and managers of particularly non-federal grazing lands. Organizers of the meeting believed that NRCS resources had been diverted from grazing lands to conservation compliance and other programs established in the 1985 farm bill. Twenty-two states were represented at the meeting. At this organizational meeting, six national organizations agreed to sponsor the NatGLC. They were AFBF, AFGC, ASI, NACD, NCBA, and SRM. Organizations that support the NatGLC appoint members to the National Steering Committee. These individuals are respected leaders, and producers, within those organizations
