WASHINGTON (DTN) -- A new U.S. Department of Agriculture rule brings public grazing regulations into alignment across two agencies and four congressional acts that affect ranchers.

The proposed changes mark the first substantive revision since 1977.

The rule updates eligibility, qualifications and permit issuance, including extending the term of a livestock use permit from one year to five years -- eliminating the need to file paperwork yearly.

Historically, ranchers leasing federal land have had to navigate different rules depending on which agency manages their grazing allotments. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), under USDA, manages National Forest System lands, while the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Park Service (NPS) operate under the Department of the Interior.

Utah rancher Hayden Ballard, a USDA lawfare adviser and special government employee, explained how ranchers often use both Forest Service and BLM allotments throughout the year.

"You wind up with running on one agency for half the year and working with another agency for the other half of the year, and they have conflicting sets of regulations," he said.

Ranchers typically use higher-elevation Forest Service allotments during the summer, then move their cattle or sheep to lower elevations during the winter, where they typically use BLM land. The regulations, he said, "speak two complete different languages."

Public comment on the proposed changes on grazing and livestock use on the National Forest System is due by Dec. 14, 2026.

Beyond regulatory changes, USDA has worked to expand grazing allotments under a March agreement with the Interior Department. In November, the agencies began identifying allotments for expansion. Repeated announcements this year reflected the need to change internal policies before amending federal rules this week, one USDA official explained.

ALLOTMENTS GOALS

USDA said the Forest Service has converted 25 vacant allotments to active status in 2026, in addition to issuing 32 new grazing permits. Together, those changes represent an increase of 178,000 animal unit months (AUMs) in fiscal year 2026.

The agency's goal is to increase grazing by 500,000 AUMs by the end of 2028.

Starting in November, the agency will post and process applications for 165 vacant allotments that are available because they are ready under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

But Mike Boren, USDA undersecretary for natural resources and the environment, offered a realistic warning about that number.

"We don't expect all 165 of those to be leased because people have to want to lease them, and some of those allotments are vacant because they don't make sense economically," he said.

Fencing and water sources need to be made available in areas that haven't been grazed in years. Expanding grazing will require interested ranchers, allotments ready for applications and sufficient USDA staffing to make the plan happen.

Officials did not provide a 2027 allotment goal. However, they said they would begin mapping available allotments to help producers identify where grazing opportunities exist, available next year.

STAFFING AND PERSONNEL

Backlogs and bureaucracy have long been an issue for grazing approvals. USDA is providing an additional $10 million for staffing to help move these directives forward.

Officials did not specify how many employees would be added or whether those employees would focus specifically on grazing or other livestock initiatives.

However, later in the press conference, Boren said the regulatory revisions could reduce the number of staff needed. "We don't need as many range conservation officers to accomplish the work because we have less regulation."

Those employees could be assigned to other agency responsibilities, he said. But USDA has historically used attrition in the Forest Service to achieve its staffing goals.

BLM manages 155 million acres for grazing across 245 million total public acres in 12 Western states. The Forest Service allows livestock grazing on nearly 40% of the 193 million acres the agency manages.

"We've got to get these ranchers back on this land," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said.

Federal Rule:

https://www.federalregister.gov/…

USDA News Release:

https://www.usda.gov/…

Jake Zajkowski can be reached at jake.zajkowski@dtn.com

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