WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed the Forest Service to expand grazing opportunities and streamline permit approvals on federal lands, marking the latest step in the Trump administration’s effort to increase livestock production and reduce regulatory barriers for ranchers operating on public rangelands.
The directives, issued by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, are intended to accelerate implementation of a grazing agreement between USDA and the Department of the Interior while reaffirming livestock grazing as a priority use of National Forest System lands.
The actions build on a March 2026 memorandum of understanding between USDA and the Department of the Interior and follow the administration’s October 2025 plan aimed at strengthening the U.S. beef industry.
According to USDA, the directives instruct Forest Service personnel to prioritize permitting on vacant and closed grazing allotments, maximize existing grazing flexibilities, reduce delays in permit and allotment authorizations, increase rancher participation in decision-making processes, and improve agency engagement with permit holders.
The changes affect approximately 23,000 grazing permittees and lessees who utilize public rangelands managed by the Forest Service.
The move underscores the administration’s broader push to emphasize multiple-use management of federal lands, a policy framework that seeks to balance livestock grazing, recreation, conservation, energy development, timber harvesting, and other land uses.
Rollins framed the initiative as an effort to reverse what the administration views as excessive regulatory constraints on livestock producers.
“America’s ranchers are an integral component of our rural economies, our food security, and our national strength,” Rollins said. “For too long, bureaucratic overreach and activist-driven lawfare have undermined the multiple-use mandate of our National Forests and Grasslands.”
Supporters of expanded grazing access argue that livestock production on federal lands supports rural economies, domestic food production, and land management objectives. Critics have historically raised concerns about grazing’s impact on wildlife habitat, water quality, and ecosystem health, issues that have frequently been the subject of litigation and regulatory disputes.
The directives reference implementation guidance from Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Michael Boren and emphasize the historic role of grazing within the National Forest System.
USDA said the policy changes are intended to keep working lands in production while increasing access to American-raised beef and other livestock products. The agency argues that reducing permitting delays and expanding grazing opportunities will strengthen ranching operations that depend on federal allotments across the western United States.
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