The Clark County Fair & Rodeo is right around the corner, taking place April 8–12, and it’s a great opportunity to experience Nevada agriculture, support local exhibitors, and enjoy a fun, family-friendly event.

Nevada Farm Bureau members can take advantage of discounted tickets for this year’s fair:

• 20% off Daily Fair Admission
• 20% off Wednesday or Thursday Rodeo/Fair tickets

To receive the discount, tickets must be purchased in advance by April 9, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased:

• By phone: 1-888-876-FAIR
• Online: Use promo code RWABCCF26

Please note: Ticket fees are only charged on online orders.

Whether you're attending to watch the rodeo, support youth exhibitors, or enjoy everything the fair has to offer, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

March 31^st was a big day in the world of federal land managers and also for those who depend on livestock grazing on the federal lands.  March 31^st a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) by USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and DOI Secretary Doug Burgum. It formalizes enhanced coordination between the USDA Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to support ranchers using public lands for livestock grazing. 

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the MOU, highlighting the points in which it strengthens public lands grazing and the partnership between ranchers and the agencies.

“Farmers and ranchers appreciate USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for their work to improve access to public lands for grazing. Public lands offer quality grazing grounds for livestock, which in turn reduces wildfire risk and contributes to the vitality of rural communities across the West.

“The MOU will reduce delays, enhance transparency and streamline the approval of grazing permits to help ranchers raise livestock to meet the protein needs of America’s families.”

Key Provisions of the 21-Page MOU

The agreement emphasizes efficiency, transparency, and collaboration. Specific actions include:

• Streamlining processes — Reducing delays in approving grazing permits, infrastructure improvements (e.g., fences, water developments), and emergency responses (such as drought or wildfire-related adjustments).
• Improved inter-agency coordination — Aligning policies and procedures between Forest Service and BLM, especially for ranchers whose operations cross administrative boundaries.
•  Enhanced transparency and engagement — Direct involvement of permittees in decision-making, treating them as partners rather than just regulated users.
•  Supporting wildfire mitigation — Promoting targeted grazing to reduce fuel loads and establishing rancher liaisons for wildfire incident command.
• Assessing and activating vacant allotments — Efforts to bring underused areas back into production where feasible.
• Unifying permitting frameworks — Making rules more consistent across agencies. 

The USDA Forest Service made a sound decision on making their announcement of their plans to restructure on March 31^st , as opposed to waiting a day later.

For an agency whose lands, partners, and operational challenges are overwhelmingly concentrated in the West, the shift represents a structural reset and a common-sense approach to improve mission delivery.

"President Trump has made it a priority to return common sense to the way our government works. Moving the Forest Service closer to the forests we manage is an essential action that will improve our core mission of managing our forests while saving taxpayer dollars and boosting employee recruitment," said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins. "Establishing a western headquarters in Salt Lake City and streamlining how the Forest Service is organized will position the Chief and operation leaders closer to the landscapes we manage and the people who depend on them. 

This includes supporting our timber growers across the country, including those in the Southeast by prioritizing a regional office and promoting policies that boost timber production, lowering costs for consumers. In the past year we have returned the Forest Service to the leading forestry and fire management organization in the world. Proper forest management means a healthy and productive forest system that provides affordable, quality lumber to build homes right here in America and it means preserving and protecting the beautiful landscapes we are blessed with across this great country."

When Nevada representatives for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Issues Advisory Committee meetings were back in Washington, D.C., in mid-February, there were hints of an upcoming announcement of the Trump Administration’s move to make available unused livestock grazing allotments.  On March 31^st those hints became real when the Bureau of Land Management announced the launch of a new web-based map tool  designed to connect ranchers with information on vacant grazing allotments on public lands available for targeted prescribed grazing. 

The tool supports the agency’s broader effort to improve rangeland health, reduce invasive weeds, and lower the risk of wildland fire across the West.  

“Recent wildfires have hit farmers and ranchers in western Nebraska especially hard, threatening their communities and livelihoods. The BLM is stepping up to support affected producers as they confront the devastating impacts of these historic fires,” said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy. “Through this new web tool, we are connecting displaced producers with grazing options on public lands, offering urgently needed opportunities to keep their operations moving forward while also protecting our nation’s food supply and reducing future wildfire risk.” 

The web-based map allows ranchers to efficiently locate vacant allotments on public lands suitable for targeted prescribed grazing and provides easy instructions to apply for a permit. Prescribed grazing can strategically lower wildfire fuel loads, suppress invasive weeds, and promote healthier, more resilient public lands.

The BLM is coordinating with federal partners to identify more vacant areas that may be suitable for grazing, expanding the options available to producers over time. The public is encouraged to check back soon for additional opportunities. All lands identified in the new tool have been evaluated for forage, land health conditions, and suitability for sustainable grazing. 

The Nevada Legislatures’ Public Lands Committee will hold their first interim committee meeting on April 24^th in the Thompson's Opera House, (644 Main Street) Pioche, NV.  There is no agenda available at this time, but we have been told that the meeting will begin at 9 a.m.

Committee Members Include:

• Chair, Senator Melanie Scheible
• Vice Chair, Assemblymember Natha Anderson
• Senator Michelee “Shelly” Cruz-Crawford
• Senator Ira Hansen
• Assemblymember Rich DeLong
• Assemblymember Cinthia Zermeño Moore
• Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones

Along with the April 24^th date on the Legislature’s Calendar, it is also posted that the Public Lands Committee will meet in Winnemucca on May 15.