07.12.18

Hoeven: Usda Under Secretary Nominee For Natural Resources Commits To Ensuring Forest Service Is “Good Neighbor”

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today met with James Hubbard, nominee to be Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) The senator outlined the importance of ensuring that the U.S. Forest Service works with farmers and ranchers in managing natural resources. 

“I appreciated meeting with Mr. Hubbard today, who has more than three decades of forestry experience and a deep understanding of natural resources issues,” Hoeven said. “We need to ensure our ranchers have continued access to grazing on U.S. Forest Service lands. Mr. Hubbard committed to me that he will work with us in regards to this and other priorities and to ensure the Forest Service is a good neighbor to our agriculture producers.”

Through his work on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Hoeven included several natural resources provisions in the recently passed Senate farm bill, including a provision to require the Forest Service to properly address the management of prairie dog populations on Forest Service lands. Hoeven has also been working with Forest Service Chief Victoria Christiansen to visit North Dakota and secured a commitment from her earlier this year to do so. 

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