The Utah Farm Bureau Federation (UFBF) submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on October 6, 2026, supporting its proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The comments call for greater flexibility in managing National Forest System lands, addressing wildfire risks, and maintaining reliable access for Utah’s farmers and ranchers.

Utah’s devastating 2026 wildfire season reinforces the need to address forest health and reduce wildfire risk. More than 500,000 acres burned across Utah this year, making it our state’s most severe wildfire season since 2007. The fires also caused livestock losses, damaged agricultural infrastructure, and left some grazing lands unusable.

Graph Courtesy of J. Bradley Washa, Utah State University Extension

https://extension.usu.edu/news/ask-an-expert-utahs-2026-wildfire-season-by-the-numbers 

For ranchers who rely on federal lands, wildfire impacts can last long after the flames are out. Replacing livestock, rebuilding fences, repairing water systems, and finding alternative grazing or feed can create significant costs that take years to recover from.

UFBF’s comments emphasize the importance of maintaining practical access to National Forest System lands. Ranchers need to reach livestock, maintain fences and water developments, and manage grazing areas. Access is also important for wildfire response, forest restoration, and preventative work to improve forest health.

Johnson shared a picture with Utah News Dispatch that he took while on a recent horsepacking trip through the Manti-La Sal National Forest, which shows an entire ridge with mostly dead coniferous trees. 

UFBF supports a range of forest management practices, including mechanical thinning, responsible timber harvest, prescribed fire, and livestock grazing to help reduce fine fuels where appropriate. The proposed rescission would give the U.S. Forest Service greater flexibility to evaluate these practices based on local conditions and management needs.


What Leaders Are Saying About the Proposed Recission

“For nearly 25 years, the Roadless Rule has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to action – prohibiting road construction, which has limited wildfire suppression and active forest management,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “The forests we know today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, mortality, insect-borne disease, and wildfire. It’s time to return land management decisions where they belong – with local Forest Service experts who best understand their forests and communities. We encourage participation in the upcoming public process. Your input will help to build a stronger, safer future for our forests and the communities that depend on these forests for jobs, recreation, and clean water.”

Utah officials expressed appreciation for the change in the roadless rule.

“I sincerely thank Secretary Rollins for taking this commonsense step. Utahns love our forests—they’re essential to our water and air quality, wildlife, outdoor recreation, economy, and way of life," said Utah Governor Spencer Cox in an earlier interview. "But for more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has blocked us from responsibly accessing and managing over four million acres of forest. It’s prevented us from removing dead and dying timber, fueling catastrophic wildfires across our state. Ending this rule is a critical step toward healthier forests and safer communities.”

Redge Johnson, the director of the Utah Public Land Policy Coordinating Office, said the state is confined in its ability to manage forests to improve habitat and reduce fire danger.

“While the roadless rule allows for limited timber harvest it has so many restrictions it makes it nearly impossible for timber projects to be completed,” Johnson said in an interview with Utah News Dispatch. “Our forests are overgrown and unhealthy, it is past time that we start to actively manage our national forests.” 


What the Rule Does NOT DO

Rescinding the rule would not automatically authorize new roads or timber harvest. Instead, it would allow land managers to consider those options through site-specific planning and environmental review.

UFBF also encouraged the Forest Service to coordinate with state and local governments, grazing permittees, and affected landowners to protect established agricultural uses and private property rights.

“Utah’s farmers and ranchers depend on healthy forests and reliable access to the lands they manage,” UFBF President ValJay Rigby said. “We need a management approach that allows land managers to address forest health, reduce wildfire risks, and account for the practical needs of agriculture and rural communities.”

UFBF’s comments ask USDA to finalize the proposed rescission while maintaining appropriate environmental safeguards and coordination with local stakeholders.

Read the full comments submitted by UFBF HERE.