(NAFB.com) – The Public Lands Council opened its 56th annual meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado on Tuesday. Ranchers, policymakers, administration officials, and industry stakeholders from across the country are meeting to discuss the most urgent issues facing the public lands ranching industry. Over the two days, federal grazing permittees will shape PLC policies for the next year and hear from influential decision-makers. This year’s meeting is taking place as grazing permittees are facing deadly wildfires and a host of other extreme weather conditions across the West. They’re also facing several federal rulemakings that seriously threaten ranchers’ abilities to reliably access public lands. “This is our best opportunity to address the issues that affect access and management of federal lands,” says Kaitlynn Glover, PLC Executive Director. “This year is a perfect example: grazing permittees are dealing with wildfires, increased regulatory burdens, and uncertainty from new uses of federal lands that are pressuring permittees.”