The USDA is expanding livestock grazing opportunities on federal lands. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced new directives to U.S. Forest Service employees aimed at increasing grazing access, streamlining permit approvals, and reducing regulatory barriers for ranchers operating on National Forest System lands. The directives support a grazing agreement between USDA and the Interior Department and are part of the administration's broader effort to strengthen the U.S. beef industry. Among the changes, the Forest Service will prioritize permitting vacant or closed grazing allotments, maximize grazing flexibility, speed up authorization processes, and increase rancher involvement in management decisions. "America's ranchers are an integral component of our rural economies, our food security, and our national strength," Rollins said. "Today, we are empowering line officers with clear direction and reaffirming grazing as an essential tool for healthy landscapes and vibrant rural communities." USDA also says roughly 23,000 permittees and lessees rely on public grazing lands.
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