At a recent meeting, Utah ranchers and public officials discussed ongoing disputes over the use and administration of federal land. And really, the disputes date back generations, back to the time of the Dust Bowl, when livestock roamed freely on public lands. Some say that changes in federal policy and regulations have improved conditions, but some ranchers still cry foul. Monday, we’re delving into the complicated history of ranching in the West to see what it tells us about the problems today.

Pat Shea is a private attorney, a research professor of biology at the University of Utah, and a former director of the Bureau of Land Management under the Clinton administration.

Randy Simmons is the Charles G. Koch Professor of political economy at Utah State University. He's also the president of Strata Policy, a think tank hired by the Utah State Legislature to promote its efforts to gain control of public lands.