Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is encouraging ranchers who graze livestock on federal lands to take advantage of USDA’s new grazing directive aimed at expanding grazing opportunities and strengthen the nation’s cattle industry. In a letter sent this week to livestock producers holding grazing permits on U.S. Forest Service allotments, Rollins highlighted the department’s June 2026 grazing directive and urged ranchers to use the policy tools available to increase productivity on federal grazing lands. According to USDA, the directive is part of a broader effort to rebuild America’s cattle herd and streamline grazing management on public lands.
The initiative builds on USDA’s plan to fortify the American beef industry and federal partnership between USDA and the Department of the Interior focused on advancing grazing on Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management lands. Secretary Rollins said, “For the past 19 months, USDA has worked tirelessly to defend and promote our nation’s ranchers and give you the tools to help rebuild our great American cattle herd. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the grazing directive as we work together to accomplish shared goals in your respective allotments.”
Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.