USDA, DOI move to streamline federal grazing permits

The Trump administration announced a new agreement March 31 aimed at reducing regulatory hurdles for ranchers who graze livestock on federal lands.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, strengthens coordination between the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The goal is to streamline grazing management, improve permitting timelines, and support domestic beef production.

“Today’s signing sends a clear message: the Trump Administration is putting America’s farmers and ranchers first,” said U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. “Building on our action plan for American ranchers announced in the fall, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are already delivering. This is another example of President Trump eliminating costly bureaucracy in order to lower consumer prices. Our public lands are there for the people, and this action demonstrates the commitment at USDA and the Department of the Interior to improve our services so farmers and ranchers who use public lands can run more efficient operations.”

The agreement builds on USDA’s Grazing Action Plan and focuses on making federal grazing systems more predictable and efficient for producers.

More than 20,000 ranchers in 28 states rely on federal grazing permits across roughly 240 million acres. About 10 percent of allotments (around 24 million acres) are currently unused and could be brought back into production.

The MOU includes a commitment to maintain grazing capacity, with a stated goal of “no net loss” of animal unit months.

Key provisions include:

• Streamlining grazing permits and reducing delays
• Expanding use of targeted grazing for wildfire mitigation
• Improving access to allotment data
• Increasing direct engagement with permittees
• Launching “ranch immersion” programs for federal staff

“The Grazing Action Plan is built on a collaborative partnership dedicated to strengthening ranching operations while safeguarding our public lands,” said DOI Secretary Doug Burgum. “By working closely with American ranchers, we are enhancing communication, investing in innovation, and modernizing our approach to land management practices to deliver real results for the people who feed and sustain this country. In coordination with the Department of Agriculture, the Trump administration is advancing actions designed to support farmers and ranchers — securing a more resilient future for grazing on public lands and protecting America’s ranching heritage for generations to come.”

The agreement also addresses wildfire response by creating Grazing Permittee Wildfire Liaisons and promoting targeted grazing to reduce fuel loads. Industry groups say the changes could help reduce long-standing challenges tied to federal permitting.

“Public lands ranchers are resilient by nature, but we still need significant relief from the burdensome federal regulations that make it harder to do our jobs every day. This MOU will make it easier to ranch on public lands and will help improve the health of western landscapes,” said PLC President and Colorado permittee Tim Canterbury. “By speeding up the permitting process and expanding the use of targeted grazing, the federal government is ensuring that more ranchers will keep ranching and that rangelands will face less degradation and destruction from wildfires and mismanagement. PLC appreciates USDA and the Interior Department standing with livestock producers in the West and putting this MOU and grazing plan into action.”

“When you raise cattle on federal lands, it requires a great deal of work to sort through the government red tape. This plan will cut bureaucracy by streamlining the permitting process, expanding grazing access, and optimizing targeted grazing in areas that are the most vulnerable to wildfires,” said NCBA President-elect and Idaho rancher Kim Brackett. “This MOU will provide much needed regulatory relief to ranchers and make it easier for us to carry out the voluntary conservation essential to maintaining these working lands. NCBA thanks USDA and the Interior Department for listening to ranchers in the West and to advance much needed coordination between the agencies.”

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall also commented, “Farmers and ranchers appreciate USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for their work to improve access to public lands for grazing. Public lands offer quality grazing grounds for livestock, which in turn reduces wildfire risk and contributes to the vitality of rural communities across the West. The MOU will reduce delays, enhance transparency and streamline the approval of grazing permits to help ranchers raise livestock to meet the protein needs of America’s families.”

Officials say the effort is intended to support both producers and consumers by improving efficiency in the beef supply chain and reducing reliance on imports.

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