This Public Advisory Board is made up primarily of special interest representatives- individuals who have been holding court on this board for over 10 years.
Here are notes from the meeting- rough but will give you a general idea of the trajectory of the meeting. National Adv Board Meeting 12_7_09 notes
Key points: nothing has changed, board still primarily anti-horse and anti-public opinion. Ed Roberson of DOI can’t be here. Sylvia Baca, representing Secretary Salazar, agrees that only difference between current long-term holding facilities (22,141 horses) only differs from Salazar’s new “Preserves” is that public will be allowed to view these non-reproducing groups of mustangs grazing.
thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com 
December 7, 2009 at 9:28 pm |
This just makes me sick. No wonder they don’t have any money when they spend millions on unnecessary and cruel roundups. Also nothing is even said about the millions of cattle. This is such a farce. Larry Johnson , aka wild horse hater, should have been replaced years ago. This meeting is not even legal.
All the Salazar plan is for is to move wild horses from the West so they’ll have more room to put the thousands more in holding that they plan to roundup and those will be sterilized too. Extinction , plain and simple, is the plan.
December 7, 2009 at 9:44 pm |
MiKe said,”we will be gathering lots of input, but in addition
In terms of a potential role for the board maybe folks like Larry can hold another role additionally” GOD FORBID !!!!
December 7, 2009 at 9:55 pm |
Thank you for the notes, Makendra. I’m not receiving the “streaming” at all—is that a problem for everyone, or just certain areas?
December 7, 2009 at 10:28 pm |
I’m not getting it either.
December 9, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
not able to get it either
December 7, 2009 at 10:21 pm |
The one person who should appreciate the word freedom is the president. I think he should be the one we all address. Is he willing to let the American symbol of freedom be extinguished on his watch? The BLM and all other entities are profit and greed driven. Only by connecting the symbolism to the president will the greed be overrulled.
December 7, 2009 at 10:32 pm |
Thank you for the notes–the streaming is hit and miss. However, I saw and heard enough to see that they don’t really accomplish anything positive in managing the horses on the BLM land. Businesses who operate like this, don’t stay in business long or they change their boards to try a new direction. The slate should be wiped clean and begun from scratch. I admire those of you who are sitting there quietly in the audience. That must be difficult. It’s apparent that Salazar’s plan is a stop gap measure so these excess horses die out.
December 7, 2009 at 10:50 pm |
The BLM’s management is a disgrace. I have had an article published about their bad feeding practices. I have three BLM animals at my sanctuary with permanent physical and emotional damage from their bad practices and lack of concern for these animals.Wranglers at our local BLM facility were filmed using innocent baby burros for roping practice. Where I live, our privately-owned land is overrun with welfare rancher’s cattle. They damage our property and destroy the environment. Enough is enough! I want MY wild horses left on the PUBLIC lands where they belong. Remove the cattle and their parasitic owners. Remove the people running the BLM.
December 7, 2009 at 11:31 pm |
The Farce of BLM management goes on and destroys healthy wild animals for their own damn reasons and should themselves be thrown out of the entire business. Mar
December 8, 2009 at 12:00 am |
I say call all your friends and ask them to fax President Obama to call for the roundup moratorium & an overhaul to the “EMBARASSING” BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.
President Obama’s fax number is 202-456-2461
The BLM and the DOI are not representing the wishes “of the people” but they are representing the interests of certain lobbies such as the cattle ranchers and others who make a lot of money off of “PUBLIC” land.
Kind regards to all,
Anne
December 8, 2009 at 12:04 am |
BTW, they should realize the whole world is watching. This horrific BLM faux pas is getting press in many languages.
~Anne
December 8, 2009 at 12:06 am |
Ladies,
Visualize what you want & ask for what you want. You are a powerful group!
Ciao,
Anne
December 8, 2009 at 12:22 am |
Another case of using public funds – taxpayer money_ at the behest of private interests. Disgraceful.
Rossi
December 8, 2009 at 12:44 am |
Guards with guns? You must have looked like an intimidating group! Not! The comments, (albeit 3 minutes) were great, to the poin.. Bravo to all! I don’t remember who said it, but that struck me dumb after reading this morning’s transcript–it was all about their procedures and plans. Nothing was ever said about the horses, taking care of them, keeping their freedom.
December 8, 2009 at 12:59 am |
The advocates did an excellent job of zeroing in on the major deficits of this Advisory Board. It is a Board that does not include even a single wild horse advocate. Those citizens that did whatever it took to get there so they could speak for just 3 minutes were outstanding and no doubt many more would have been there if the weather had been not so treacherous. We must continue to tell Salazar that leaving these wild horses in their original herd areas and promoting programs for visitors and tourists to watch and learn about their heritage in their natural environment can itself bring in funds that would help support keeping them on their home ranges. This is the best remedy for the taxpayer and for the horses themselves.
December 10, 2009 at 11:49 pm |
We need Dateline, 60 minutes or 20/20 to do a story on this controversy. I suggest writing/emailing them regularly. Give them sources and information. Also this is one issue with many issues: 1) Humane advocacy for wild horses as native reintroduced wildlife. 2) How the BLM and Depts. of Ag are costing taxpayers a bundle in contracts that harrass healthy and fit wild horses only to subsidize our public lands in a give away to the beef industry 3) How can the public in a democracy determine how their public lands are to be administered 3) How can we expose the terrible injustice and suffering that is perpetrated on wild horses and burros.
December 8, 2009 at 1:23 am |
Im not at all surprised and it’s “business as usual” for the BLM and the many Committees now attached to it.
I watched some of the meeting today and saw the “new person” (sorry, missed his name) from Washington I believe and all the “advisory” committees he’s bringing on board.
All I could think was:
a. The amount of money we are spending on this must be astronomical.
b. Leave the wild horses alone and it won’t cost anything. Zero, zilch, nada.
c. If the wild horses needed food, spreading out hay for them in those dire times would be just a /fraction/ of the cost of what they are spending.
This is a gross waste of money out of our pockets to feed the pockets of the wealthy cattle ranchers.
I truly want to be ill.
December 8, 2009 at 1:48 am |
I’m glad to see some comments emphasizing the horrendous financial WASTE of tax-payer money, basically to feed cattle on our dime & pay the salaries of useless, ineffective bureaurocrats. I can’t help but wonder if more noise was made about this aspect of the BLM and their non-managment of the horses would strike a chord with a larger group of Americans, who perhaps unmoved by the plight of the horses… That and the fact they are essentially taking a page out of the book ‘How to Lie with Statistics’ and creating specious data as justification for their so-called ‘management plan’.
Has anyone done the financial breakdown/analysis of how much THE CATTLE are costing the taxpayers and how we are essentially finanacing ranching operations?
December 8, 2009 at 3:58 am |
They(government) are cutting teaching and healthcare jobs, but are spending COUNTLESS dollars on this! And that Silvia made the comment that BLM is underfunded???!!??? when they can spend $1.7 MILLION on one roundup!!!! and all the rest of it on all these committees to meet and say the same old stuff; when there is no need to spend ANY money, just leave the horses alone.
it is truly amazing to me to hear and read this, what is the answer, what can we do to end this stupidity???
December 8, 2009 at 8:09 pm |
Keep going after BLM. Keep showing what they do and telling what the truth is. We have to keep working to save the wild ones. And the captured ones. When someone prints lies, send a rebuttal. Get in their faces through the editor, not the writer.
BLM has a list of all the holding facilities after the Quick Facts page in the wild horse and burro online pages. It has the number of horses there in October and how many the place can hold. All that I have heard of are there.
BLM will let the public and the press within viewing distance of roundups now. There are two in Oregon in one and two weeks. Paisley and Palomino Buttes. If Madeleine Pickens is going to help the wild ones NOW she can send a crew with a reporter and film and report on the roundups and not let any of them happen without outside witnesses. I hope she reads here and I hope she does what we have not been able to; keep the roundups in front of the people and the press.
Keep suing BLM for each roundup that is about to leave only 15 to 25 horses behind on their made up scale. Look at the new Roundup schedule. There are changes. Mar
December 8, 2009 at 4:32 am |
This is appalling and an excellent example of what is wrong with the BLM, and our WH&B program. Leave these horses alone, they manage well enough on their own, take the milions that you are spending “rounding them up”, and buy them a little hay, build some run in sheds, perhaps think ahead to some irrigation areas, get rid of the current board that has gotten the poor animals where they are today, and get out of the way. All the BLM, & the DOI, is interested in doing is managing these animals to extinction! Quit taking money from greedy cattle ranchers that are using OUR public lands, sterilize them, put them in holding pens, round them up in barbaric “round ups”, that land is there for OUR horses, per public law-why do those of you that are charged with upholding the law, simply follow it, instead of the money? It is so corrupt and the same bunch in charge, that has not taken any initiative other than to pen up, round up, and take to slaughter these animals, so that cattle ranchers have more PUBLIC lands for their cattle to graze on-move them out to the midwest and out east. Get rid of the ones on the board-they are inept, are not doing a good job, are mismanaging public funds, and are being rewarded for incompetence(sounds like Wall Street, doesn’t it)? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result= insanity.” Albert Einstein-Wake up & smell the coffee-the American people have and are on to you-justify your jobs in a positive fashion, do what your are supposed to do-take care of OUR HORSES: ON OUR LAND!! 😉
December 8, 2009 at 5:02 am |
Leave my horses alone and shute the BLM……?
December 8, 2009 at 1:49 pm |
The BLM is not going to change .Nothing about the 20 million acres taken from the mustangs and burros.Nothing about increasing cattle on the land that was set aside for the horses and burros. We have to keep calling and writing. I know I will. What happen to Madeleine Pickens?
December 8, 2009 at 6:20 pm |
Madeleine Pickens sanctuary will be the same as the ones proposed by the BLM. Her horses will all be sterile and I’m afraid it’s just another way for the BLM to say “Look what a good thing we did with the horses” and people will believe it.
December 8, 2009 at 7:54 pm
They will never do it because they do not have the money and they won’t get enough for it next time they ask. I firmly believe this. Please try to bring Obama into this by asking for the Burn’s Amendment to be thrown out along with the moratorium. It is the kind of tacked on Bush Era thing he has wanted to be rid of. This should never be left out of any letter or phone call. It created the worst of the existing problems and if it is removed we can do more repair work. Mar
December 8, 2009 at 6:37 pm |
MORE: 12-8-2009 BLM wants to know who shot these 6 (wild) horses. Comical! I suggest the BLM look among their ranks of cronies for the answer. There is no doubt in my mine that BLM employees know who the culprits are! BLM has never, never apprehended any thugs responsible for such! These BLM thugs have even killed innocent wild horses with axes. And you know who you are! Doesn’t that tell you about WHO BLM really is (aka public lands livestock corporate ranching)? Go to BLM’s new approach to annihilate America’s wild horses/burros: http://www.mobileslaughter.com
Re: BLM NOW caring guns. I suggest that these gun totting BLM thugs and those responsible for such a cowardly eco-terroristic anti-American policy be sent to Afghanistan ASAP in exchange to allow some of our weary troops to come home. Looks like Blackwater (aka X) mentality has invaded our country.
Betty Kelly
Carson City NV 89704
12-6-2009 The following is my opinion under the meaning of the 1st amendment if that indeed stills exists: If it is true that the Calico Complex wild horse captures will cost taxpayers $1.7 million dollars “simply for the roundup”, that really irks me to my core as BLM’s favorite capture contractor son over the long years is a notorious wild horse/burro Utah family business…the wealthy CATTOORS (special TV documentaries have been made about this family).
In addition, NV U.S. Senator Harry Reid-D:
1. who is the “majority leader” of the U.S. Senate,
2. who bragged that he has the power to bring any bill to the Senate floor for vote (but doesn’t to spite “we the people”),
3. who enticed ex-MT U.S. Senator Conrad Burns-R (now a lobbyist for the American Quarter Horse Association that supports horse slaughter) to solve Nevada’s special interests perceived wild horse “problem” by sneaking the “Reid-Contrived-Burns-Rider” into the Dec. 2004 U.S. 3000+ page Appropriations bill that allowed America’s wild horses/burros to go to slaughter with Reid’s blessing
(Reid) IS politically and personally responsible for the travesty that is and continues to be inflicted upon America’s wild horses/burros today. I understand that Reid was responsible for the appointment of NV Robert (Bob) Abbey (Reid’s friend) under Salazar. Both have coined the distinguished “Horse Slaughter CZARS” of the Obama administration. I might add Tony Lesperance (NDOA) to that as well. In fact, a NV Democratic Party person essentially bragged to me about my concerns to sit tight that a “Nevadan” would be appointed head of BLM under Salazar. Yesiree, and Bob Abbey “more of the same” was! Let’s not forget the articulate, arrogant Larry Johnson, the notorious anti-wild horse, pro-big horn sheep activitist, who has betrayed “his brother” the horse for a Eurasia species, who is a forever member of our politically hand-picked anti-wild horse/burros pro-domestic livestock galore BLM Wild Horse/Burro Advisory Board and, of course, friend of Reid’s.
Let me take this a bit further regarding Separation of Church and State concept that has suddenly been nullified, in my opinion. Reid and NV U.S Rep. Heller are both Mormons; NV Gov. Jim Gibbons, who is anti-wild horse/burro (7-13-98), is a reportedly a “non-practicing” Mormon and the Cattoors are a big Utah Mormon family.
Are we taxpayers supporting the corporate Mormon Church with the BLM blood money off the backs of America’s wild horses/burros? It appears to me that Reid and his cronies are perpetuating the corporate wealth of the Mormon Church, its members and, above all, has intentionally blocked Bills for his personal special interests reasons that would bring to a halt this madness and re-instate the original intent of the 1971 Wild Horse Annie Fed. Protection Act. As a long time Democrat I support the sign up the road from my home that says, “DUMP REID” and I add, but NOT the horse we rode in on (D. Stillman’s Mustang)”.
Betty
Carson City NV 89704 (snowed in today)
December 8, 2009 at 10:47 pm |
After experiencing my first BLM Advisory meeting in September I am not surprised that it is the “same old–same old”. Obviously there is NO one on the Advisory Board that represents the horses. I wonder if there is a way to challenge the Advisory Board through legal proceedings? After hearing Larry Johnson discuss how there was a herd behind fences in Nevada that could be used for some kind of experiment(don’t recall) where the PUBLIC could NOT view the horses I was totally dumb-founded that a person serving on a Advisory board would say such a thing in public. Robin ?, chairman quickly advised Mr. Horse Hater Johnson that in the “age of Transparency” that would not be a good thing. Either we totally disregard the BLM Advisory or we show them for the evil that they represent.
December 8, 2009 at 11:30 pm |
Yes, and when faxing Obama as Anne Novak suggests above, we could go further than asking him to overhaul the “embarrassing” existing Advisory Board. We could ask that he go ahead and expand the board to 12 members (as Sec. 8 of S.1579 requires) and put in place the 3 representatives of the animal protection community as required, also. If there were more legitimate input FOR the horses, then Mr. Johnson might not be so overtly hostile at the meetings. Of course, Johnson would not even be on the board under the new rules that limit members to two consecutive terms.
December 9, 2009 at 2:57 am
Why are these meetings going ahead with so many vacancies on the Advisory Board?
December 9, 2009 at 5:01 am
there is one vacancy on the board right now and 6 spots will be open by this June– I don’t know why they are so held up in replacing an older man who died last year and held the humane advocacy position (though he was not a horse supporter either)
December 12, 2009 at 3:30 am
Here’s BLM’s website page where it brags about its great advisory board and how effective it is:
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/resource_advisory.html
December 9, 2009 at 4:29 am |
Why has everything run wrong from the get go? BLM has no love for the horses. It can tolerate mustangs as trained and useful or in a stock trailer to slaughter. The land grab continues.
Between January and the end of July, out of 16 roundups, 9 are to wipe out the last of a local population, 2 of which are burros. August to late September, another 11 roundups, 3 will zero out the herds in that locality.
12 out of 27 roundups are to zero out herds. 8 others take herds down to 10 to 60 horses or burros. There may be only 3 or 4 herds in the West that may have viable numbers again after the mares’ PZP wears off in a couple years.
The end will come to Wild and Free unless we Insist that the wild ones be protected and their lands returned.
December 9, 2009 at 11:42 am |
Get over to the Huffington Post and give them some facts about the horse numbers, cattle numbers etc.
Lot of mis-informed people making comments
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/08/wild-horse-plan-draws-opp_n_383951.html
December 9, 2009 at 5:07 pm |
Thanks, Barbara, for calling our attention to that site. I posted (under a different name) a short piece about the history of equines on the North American continent. May as well begin at the beginning…
December 9, 2009 at 7:44 pm |
The Advisory Baord and BLM/DOI are so drowned in their own rhetoric propaganda they CAN’T hear us. They can’t see thier own falsehoods. Only more seats, with new members, of various represtations to challenge them will work. Only complete transparency will work (like who will be the leasors for these preserves – who are thier buddies?).
Don Glens reading of public opinion comments from letters recieved by BLM and calling them all untrue – another slap in our face after just 2 +/- months ago we saw Don, standing in desert saying the horses are starving, then 2 days later all these fat healthy horses come running into BLM pens. He says “no proof” – Ok, we are still waitng for BLM “proof” that we are wrong! Our side is documented by years and years of evidence that is put on video for all to see. By legitimate independent scientitists and investigative reporters.
We will keep saying the truth as long as the propaganda lies keep coming, and our truths are getting louder and louder and to more and more people, around the world. We are being heard, louder and clearer every day!
Now off to Huffingtin Post.
December 10, 2009 at 12:32 am |
YOU HAVE GOT TO GET THIS OUT TO THE MEDIA – CNN, FOX NEWS, AND THE NETWORKS – NO ONE KNOWS THE FIGHT THAT IS GOING ON FOR THE HORSES EXCEPT A FEW – YOU NEED TO GET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS BEHIND YOU – LOOK HOW TIGER WOODS HAS BEEN SPLASHED ALL OVER THE NEWS AND INTERNET – THE HORSES ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN HIM AND WE NEVER HEAR A WORD – THATS WHY I THOT ANOTHER MARCH ON WASHINGTON WITH HUNDREDS OF HORSEMEN ON HORSEBACK WOULD GET THE MEDIA ATTENTION – YOU CANT BE NICE TO THIS GOVT AND THE PRIOR ONE EITHER THAT BROUGHT ALL THIS TO BEAR AGAINST THE HORSE – ITS LIKE FIGHT GODZILLA WITH A POP GUN – GOT TO HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS – THE RANCHERS – BOYCOTT ALL BEEF – I HAVE EMAIL FRIENDS IN OTHER COUNTRIES – NO THEY DONT EAT HORSEMEAT EITHER, WHO ARE SO UPSET THAT NOTHING IS BEING NONE BY OUR GOVERNMENT TO SAVE THE HORSES – CANT THEY BE PUT ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST – LOTS OF PEOPLE ASK ME THAT
December 10, 2009 at 8:46 am |
Jan. Yes, it seems we will come to that. Our President has not embraced anything or anyone as if he does not wish to play favorites while his popularity plunges. It is up to us to bring this to the nation. Mar
December 12, 2009 at 5:31 pm |
Glad to hear friends in other countries are wise enough not to eat horse meat from the US. The horse meat aspect of the wild horse issue, I think, is really important. I think part of the push is to round up these horses and sell them for slaughter — and that has a lot to do with the European Union’s upcoming ban on certain chemicals, etc. in horse (and other) meat.
After the ban comes into effect, the US will no longer be able to sell mustangs for slaughter for Euro consumption (as is happening now, though few would really admit to it…) Push the horses through the Mexican and Canadian slaughter houses now, before the laws change.
One way to appeal to people about slaughter is to ask them what they find acceptable in their meat. Rabies vaccines? Bute? (which clearly states on the label that it’s not for animals intended for human consumption) Other vaccines and/or hormones? Pretty scary …
I got a lot out of this web page. It may have been posted before. Sorry if it’s a re-post.
http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/eu-bans-drug-tainted-horse-meat/
December 12, 2009 at 6:07 pm |
Boycott USA Beef ~ Save wild Horses
Submitted by Barbara Ellen Ries on Sat, 12/12/2009 – 10:18.
Biggest Beef Protest Yet
Jun. 10 2008 – 10:28 pm
Good Lord, just look at the scale of the protest currently being carried out in Gwanghamun. Just looking at this picture it’s hard for me to imagine American beef ever being sold in Korea again. Update: The Chosun Ilbo reports that last night’s protests in Seoul drew 80,000 people according to police but 700,000 according to the protest organizers, so there’s a small difference of opinion there. Furthre update: Yonhap says the police finally estimated a total of 240,000.
Titled : “NO MORE BULL
Horses~ They are worth my efforts in Protest in the USA!!
We advocate need peaceful projects ~ which encourage the respect the lives and purpose of Wild Horses.
Do not lose Hope, Freedom and Our National Treasure for future generations.
Every Friday be beef, free. I’m going to be beef free until the horses come home. I don’t care if it takes years.
Protest The Gathering of Wild Horses.
I’m going to go into a go on a fast of NO BEEF until the horses are returned to their home!!
Join me in protest or only protest once a week~ today please join me in this peaceful protest of beef.
We cannot take anymore BULL.
Write one media person a day.
Write one senator or representative and President daily.
Write or e-mail Entertainers and ask then to donate to The Cloud Foundation and legal fund & sign the moratorium.
Protest BEEF or do it one day a week. What will they not hear what we as peaceful and law abiding citizens want. We have to make then listen and stop the havesting of wild horse.
Martin Luther King and Gandi learned, protested in peace to make them hear reality. . Let the beef price go down. A Snail pie is tastier, more nutritious than beef.
December 12, 2009 1:05 PM