On March 31, 2026, US Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize collaboration between the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to ensure more efficient, transparent and responsive grazing management across federal lands. This MOU builds on the USDA’s recently released Grazing Action Plan.

This plan focuses on boosting rancher resiliency by assessing vacant allotments, unifying permitting frameworks between agencies, expanding the use of targeting grazing to prevent wildfires and establishing a rancher liaison program for wildfire incident command centers.

“The Grazing Action Plan is built on a collaborative partnership dedicated to strengthening ranching operations while safeguarding our public lands,” said Secretary 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.”

For generations, ranchers have played a vital role in feeding the nation, supporting rural economies, and stewarding public lands. The MOU recognizes permittees as essential partners and directs federal agencies to engage directly with those who live and work on the land.

Officials emphasized the agreement supports not only producers, but also American families by supporting the domestic food supply chain.

After the MOU signing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) leaders and members participated in a roundtable discussing cooperative work to address longstanding challenges for federal lands grazing permittees. PLC President Tim Canterbury, PLC Past President Mark Roeber, and Industry Issues Committee Chairman Nate Thomson were joined by NCBA President-elect Kim Brackett, American National CattleWomen (ANCW) Past President Nikki Weston, Washington ranchers Stephanie and Nick Martinez, Arizona permittee Dan Bell, and Colorado rancher Nancy Roberts in raising critical ranching issues to be addressed.

PLC President and Colorado permittee Tim Canterbury said, “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.

“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.”

NCBA President-elect and Idaho rancher Kim Brackett said, “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.

“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.”

Background

More than 20,000 ranchers and farmers across 28 states graze on federal lands. The FS and the BLM are responsible for a total of 240 million acres of federal rangelands. The two agencies together administer more than 23,000 permits and leases held by ranchers who graze their livestock on approximately 29,000 allotments. About 10% of grazing allotments, or roughly 24 million acres, are not under permit but are targeted as opportunities to allow more grazing on federal lands. The FS collects an average of $6 million annually in grazing fees.

Livestock grazing on national forests and grasslands contributes about 14,200 jobs and $645 million to the nation’s gross domestic product annually, supporting agriculture-related sectors and private operations. Across Western rangelands, livestock grazing on BLM lands generate $2.7 billion in total economic output, supporting 35,000 jobs and $700 million in total labor income.

Sources: USDA; NCBA