{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-create-formal-mediation-process-for-us-forest-service-boundary-disputes", "Rounds Introduces Legislation to Create Formal Mediation Process for U.S. Forest Service Boundary Disputes", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SD", "Mike Rounds", "R000605", "www.rounds.senate.gov", "rounds", "https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today introduced the Fence Line Fairness Act, legislation that would create a formal mediation process for land boundary disputes between landowners and the United States Forest Service (USFS).\n\nAbout 2.6 million acres in South Dakota are federally owned, 76 percent of which are managed by USFS. Congress has authorized land agencies to offer leases to local producers to use the land in a way that supports economic activity while also preserving natural resources, such as grazing or mining. Many producers who obtain these leases also have private land that borders USFS land, which is typically where boundary disputes arise.\n\nThe Fence Line Fairness Act would create a committee made up of appointed producers, tasked with mediating disputes and providing recommendations to both the agency and involved producers. The committee would be made up of producers from the state, two of which are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and three of which are appointed by the state\u2019s Department of Agriculture or Natural Resources.\n\n\u201cLandowners deserve a proper notice and review process involving land disputes with the federal government,\u201d said Rounds. \u201cMy legislation would create a committee made up of local farmers and ranchers appointed by both the federal and state Departments of Agriculture. This gives local landowners a fighting chance at settling a dispute before it escalates.\u201d\n\nThis legislation is supported by South Dakota Cattlemen\u2019s Association, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, R-CALF USA, Public Lands Council and United States Cattlemen\u2019s Association.\n\n\u201cIntroducing mediation that includes local producers and entities who know the land and know the parties and their operation will resolve issues that come forward regarding minor fence line disputes with the U.S. Forest Service,\u201d said Carl Sanders, South Dakota Cattlemen\u2019s Association\u2019s Federal Lands Policy Committee Chair. \u201cAs a producer who works closely with the Forest Service through grazing on a Grasslands Forest Service Permit, I believe that through the necessary steps, conflict can be resolved and a compromise will be made.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re already experiencing situations where uncertainty over boundary lines with the federal government is disrupting the lives and livelihoods of ranchers and potentially threatening their ability to continue ranching,\u201d said Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF. \u201cSenator Rounds\u2019 bill is a common-sense intervention that holds the promise of alleviating such drastic and costly outcomes.\u201d\n\n\"The U.S. Cattlemen's Association commends the work of Senator Rounds for working to protect ranchers from the lengthy timelines that come with mediation of federal disputes,\u201d said Justin Tupper, President of the U.S. Cattlemen\u2019s Association. \u201cThe Fence Line Fairness Act would help producers resolve disputes in a more fair, timely, and local manner. This is the beginning of a larger conversation about the rights of landowners on or adjacent to public lands. We support this bill and hope for its inclusion in the next Farm Bill.\"\n\nClick HERE for full bill text.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-create-formal-mediation-process-for-us-forest-service-boundary-disputes"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.580716110765934, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}