Cows eat up more than just grass in the West, says a
special investigative report by the San Jose Mercury
News. According to “Cash Cows: The Giveaway of the West,”
federal-lands grazing consumes tax dollars without giving much
back. Published in November and now available in eight-page color
reprints, the report was compiled by 10 staffers over nine months.
According to the report, livestock munch 254 million acres of
public lands, an area the size of California, Oregon, Washington
and Idaho. While grazing is a bonanza for “corporate cowboys’ – the
wealthy few who control most range lands – it has become a
boondoggle to taxpayers, family ranchers and the environment.
The reprints, including photos and graphs,
letters to the editor, editorials, and contact Web sites, are
available for 12 cents each, minimum 100, plus $7.50 shipping per
100 copies. Write: San Jose Mercury News, Cash
Cow Reprints, c/o Sharon Fowler, 750 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA
95190. Please write “Cash Cows,” plus the number of reprints
desired, in the memo field, and send an e-mail to
progers@sjmercury.com noting the number ordered and amount of money
sent. Visit www.sjmercury.com/nation/giveaway for the articles
without supplementary material.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Bovine boondoggle.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
