WHEREAS, private agricultural lands in Montana are among the most valuable assets of the state;

WHEREAS, private agricultural lands help to sustain the economic viability of agriculture in Montana;

WHEREAS, agriculture provides a major foundation of rural Montana counties’ tax base;

WHEREAS, agriculture producers depending on the land have traditionally been the best care-takers of the land;

WHEREAS, land management approaches on public lands often are neglected,

WHEREAS, weed infestations and wildlife managed on public lands spread to surrounding private land having negative impacts;

WHEREAS, funding, staff, and overall importance placed on maintenance of public lands seems to be lacking;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Montana Association of Conservation Districts supports zero net growth of public lands in Montana.