Basically, when a rancher is allowed to turn a cow and calf (one AUM) loose to graze on public land for $1.35 a month (less than it costs to feed a canary), that's welfare ranching.
Here's a good explanation: "Whether on public or private lands, the western livestock industry is subsidized in multiple ways. First, there is the abundance of federal and state funding that props up the industry, including below-market grazing fees, emergency feed programs, low-interest federal farm loans, and many other taxpayer-funded programs.
Even more important are the environmental costs-most of them not counted in any way, and certainly not absorbed by livestock producers. These costs include soil erosion; degraded water quality and the costs of cleanup; the spread of exotic weeds and the subsequent reduction in plant community productivity; and the costs of saving species endangered by livestock production.
Finally there are the social costs resulting from beef consumption. Though the subject is beyond the scope of this book, a heavy meat diet contributes to numerous health problems that society pays for directly and indirectly, from higher costs to reduced life expectancy."
http://www.publiclandsranching.org/htmlres/wr_intro.htm
Read the whole link (takes five minutes) for an over all picture.
There was some other topic recently where someone (maybe Ten Bears?) tried to make the case that public land hunters are "welfare hunters". As usual, with his dingbat ideas, he was soundly refuted, embarrassed, defeated, disgraced, humiliated, scorned, and laughed off the forum.
Maybe someone can remember what that topic was.
Here's some more reading on the subject of welfare ranching:
http://www.publiclandsranching.org/
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-03-2004 17:59: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>