U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum have announced new actions aimed at boosting the supply of American born, raised and harvested beef by supporting American ranchers with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding that will strengthen coordination, cut bureaucratic red tape and deliver immediate, tangible support for America’s farmers and ranchers who rely on public lands.
Building on the USDA’s recently released Grazing Action Plan, the agreement formalizes collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to ensure more efficient, transparent and responsive grazing management across federal lands.
“Today’s signing sends a clear message: the Trump Administration is putting America’s farmers and ranchers first,” said Secretary 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 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. 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.”
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.
Key actions under the agreement
- Cutting red tape and improving efficiency – The MOU streamlines permitting and processes and encourages agencies to use existing authorities more effectively – reducing delays for grazing permits, infrastructure improvements, and emergency response actions.
- Strengthening rancher partnerships – Agencies will expand collaboration with permittees through structured engagement, including learning roundtables and enhanced communication channels.
- Ranch immersion programs for federal employees – New initiatives will place agency staff on working ranches to build firsthand understanding of operational challenges and realities on the ground.
- Enhancing transparency and data access – Improved data systems will make grazing allotment information more accessible and predictable, giving producers greater certainty to plan and invest.
- Expanding practical land management tools – The agreement promotes targeted grazing to reduce wildfire risk, supports reopening vacant allotments, and encourages adoption of innovative technologies such as virtual fencing.
- Wildfire coordination and response – The creation of Grazing Permittee Wildfire Liaisons will ensure ranchers have clear points of contact and a voice during wildfire response and recovery efforts.
- Maintaining grazing capacity – The MOU affirms a goal of maintaining grazing capacity wherever possible, including no net loss of Animal Unit Months within allotments, consistent with applicable law.
Officials emphasized the agreement supports not only producers, but also American families by strengthening the domestic food supply chain. By lowering costs and improving efficiency for ranchers, the initiative helps keep food affordable and reduces reliance on foreign imports. The signing also marks an important step forward in modernizing federal grazing management and reflects a broader commitment to rural prosperity by fortifying the American beef industry as directed by President Trump’s order Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer.
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.
Credit: farmprogress.com
