Ranching operations that hold grazing allotment permits are anticipated to be impacted by conservation activities for the spikedace and loach minnow. The costs assumed to be incurred by livestock operations are primarily due to anticipated installation and maintenance of riparian fencing. The economic analysis concluded that approximately 76 ranches-or 4.7 percent of ranches in affected counties that contain proposed critical habitat, or 1 percent of ranches in New Mexico and Arizona-could be impacted by conservation activities. Annual costs to each of these 76 ranching operations may be between $390 and $9,200 per ranch. Average revenues of a ranch in the proposed critical habitat region are $133,000, or between 0.3 and 7 percent of a ranch's estimated average revenue. Approximately 94 percent of beef cattle ranching and farming operations in counties containing spikedace and loach minnow critical habitat are small businesses; thus approximately 72 small ranching operations may experience a reduction in revenues. Because only 1 percent of ranches in New Mexico and Arizona, or 4.7 percent of ranches, in affected counties are estimated to be impacted by this proposal, we have determined that this proposed designation will not have an effect on a substantial number of small business ranching operations. From this analysis, we also have determined that this proposed designation would also not result in a significant effect to the annual sales of these small businesses impacted by this proposed designation because the above analysis has determined that annual costs may represent between 0.3 and 7 percent of a ranch's estimated average revenue.

Red Alert to Ranchers. BOHICA