Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Western Caucus Chair Celeste Maloy (UT-02) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)  and Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) about grazing on federal lands.

"This memorandum will create a simpler permit application process that cuts down on the massive backlog faced by Western ranchers, and target the use of grazing for wildfire risk reduction. Rural America, ranchers, and everyone who buys beef at the grocery store will see significant dividends from the Administration's action today," said Chair Celeste Maloy.
 

Background: For decades, the U.S. has experienced a steady decline in total cattle ranches, with the national herd reaching a 75-year low, last year. This decrease—combined with an increased consumer demand for beef, extreme weather events, and a volatile international market—has exacerbated the cost of beef and increased costs for American families. In recognition of this crisis, President Donald Trump signed an executive order, Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer in February 2026, requiring federal agencies to take action to encourage greater U.S. beef production and purchase.
 
In compliance with President Trump's executive order, USDA and DOI released a Grazing Action Plan designed to increase the utilization and usability of livestock grazing permits and leases on federal land. The Grazing Action Plan would impact  240 million acres of federal rangelands across 28 states, that are used by 20,000 farmers and ranchers, and distributed as 29,000 livestock grazing allotments.
 
Summary: Today, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and DOI Secretary Doug Burgum announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to boost U.S. cattle production, building upon the plans set out in the Grazing Action Plan. The MOU is designed to support American ranchers through greater collaborative coordination between the agencies, cutting bureaucratic red tape, and delivering immediate support for farmers and ranchers on public lands. Included in the MOU are plans to streamline the grazing permitting process across agencies, strengthen partnerships between agency officials and ranchers, and enhance transparency. Under the MOU, USFS and BLM employees that work with ranchers on public lands will be trained through immersion programs designed to give them first-hand knowledge of ranchland. For the reduction of wildfires on federal lands, the agencies have been instructed to utilize grazing as a means of wildfire fuels reduction and to create Grazing Permittee Wildfire Liaisons to work directly with ranchers during wildfire response and recovery efforts. Additionally, the agencies are directed to maintain grazing capacity whenever possible, preventing the loss of Animal Unit Months within allotments, whenever possible.