1.  Welcome and Introductions - Howard Johnson opened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. and welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked that everyone introduce themselves.  He thanked the Grantsville SCD for hosting this meeting and USU/Tooele County Extension for providing a place to meet.

2.  Minutes and budget report - Roger Banner read the minutes of the April 27th meeting and reported that the Coalition has $2,106.07 in the EQIP Education account and $1,205.69 in the GLCI allocation housed with UACD.  Tim Munns suggested that they add that Howard Johnson was unable to attend the April 27th meeting to the minutes.  Tim made a motion to accept the minutes as amended and Wayne seconded it.  The motion passed.

3.     Demonstration Projects and Continuous Sign-up CRP (CCRP) - Bob Sennett made an informational presentation on the Continuous Sign-up CRP.  Larry Ellicott handed out copies of our revised Demonstratin Project application packet.  An August 18 deadline for applications was discussed and Tim Munns made a motion that the packet be accepted.  Cary Peterson seconded the motion.  The motion Passed.

4.     Agricultural Resource Development Loan (ARDL) program - Koy Page gave a brief history of the ARDL program from its beginning as the Utah Rangeland Development Fund.  He noted that rangeland project applications receive priority and that the interest rate for loans is 3%.  Koy also reported that the Rural Rehabilitation Program needs more funding to assist beginning producers and financially depressed rural areas.

5.     Utah Legislature Appropriation - Representative Jim Gowans, sponsor of our successful funding request to the Utah Legislature, gave a brief report on our appropriation effort.  He would like to be more involved in the Utah GLCI in the future and will try and help us get  continuous funding.  The Coalition expressed appreciation to Representative Gowans for his efforts in getting $90,000 for the Coalition to continue grazing land conservation and improvement efforts.

6.     Utah Legislature Appropriation Management - Wayne Urie reported that UFBF would manage the funds for $2,400/year.  UACD offered to manage the funds for the interest.  UDA&F offered to manage the funds for a flat fee of $125 and $25/contract and check.  Tim Munns made a motion that we house the funds under the UDA&F and Brent Tanner seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

7.     Utah GLCI Capacity Building Workshop - The workshop is scheduled for July 11-13 at Deseret Land & Livestock.  A response on plans for participation in the workshop is needed from everyone by July 5th.  Intentions should be sent to Jake Jacobson or Roger Banner.

8.     National Grazing Lands Conference - Blake Walbeck reminded everyone of the conference to be held December 5-8, 2000 at Bally's in Las Vegas.  He urged those planning to attend to make reservations ASAP.  Information on the conference and hotel is available on the web at www.glci.org.

9.     National GLCI - Dennis Neffendorf, National GLCI Coordinator, reported that several organizations (Agricultural Research Service, Extension Service) have provided some financial support for sponsoring speakers at the National Grazing Lands Conference.  He also reported that two organizations will be joining the National GLCI Steering Committee - National Farmers' Union and The Nature Conservancy.

10.    Great Basin Restoration Initiative (GBRI) - Steve Rich of Higher Ground Associates discussed the risk of negative implications that may be drawn about livestock grazing as a result of the GBRI.  He asked the Coalition to consider endorsing/supporting a proposal to Congress to fund some large scale demonstrations of the positive role managed livestock grazing can have in restoration of rangelands in the Great Basin.  He proposed that some members of the Coalition go out in the field with him to see evidence of the positive role managed livestock grazing can have in accelerating the recovery of degraded rangelands.  Cary Peterson made a motion that we form a committee to pursue this with Steve and Tim Munns seconded the motion.  The motion passed.  A group of volunteeers (Howard Johnson, Roger Banner, Wayne Urie, Larry Ellicott, Bill Hopkin) agreed to go out to Antelope Island with Steve in early July.

Steve Monson, Utah Section President of the Society for Range Management and research at the USFS Shrub Sciences Lab, responded to Steve Rich on the GBRI.  Dr. Monson did not feel that there was a great threat of livestock grazing being assigned all of the blame for the rangeland degradation in the Great Basin as suggested by Steve Rich.  Dr. Monson went on to review range issues in the Great Basin, particularly fire frequency and the conversion of perennial vegetation to annuals like cheatgrass.  Steve Rich explained that he was not proposing to replace the GBRI but to carry out large scale demonstrations in addition to the research associated with the GBRI.

11.    Lunch - The Grantsville Soil Conservation District provided lunch for the group.

12.    Clover Creek CRMP Tour - After lunch, the Coalition proceeded on a tour of rangeland improvement activities associated with the Clover Creek Coordinated Resource Management Plan.  The tour ended at Darrell Johnson's ranch with discussion of wildfires, prescribed fire, and chaining to convert pinyon-juniper woodlands to grasses and mountain brush.  Wildlife habitat, watershed, and domestic livestock forage improvements were pointed out and discussed.

13.    Howard Johnson adjourned the meeting with the end of the tour.
 
 

Please send notices of events and calendar items to Jerry Chatterton to be placed on our web page. His email address is: njchatt@cc.usu.edu.