USDA Issues Directive to Expand Grazing Access on National Forest Lands
USDA issues directive to restore grazing access on National Forest lands, supporting ranchers and public rangeland use.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a new directive aimed at expanding grazing access on National Forest System lands and strengthening support for ranchers who rely on federal rangelands.
Announced June 12, 2026, by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, the directive was distributed to U.S. Forest Service employees through the Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (NRE). It is intended to advance implementation of the Advancing Grazing on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands Memorandum of Understanding and the USDA–Department of the Interior Grazing Action Plan.
According to the USDA, the actions are designed to support the Trump Administration’s efforts to:
- Strengthen U.S. ranching
- Restore multiple-use management of federal lands
- Address regulatory challenges affecting producers.
“America’s ranchers are an integral component of our rural economies, our food security, and our national strength,” said Secretary Rollins. “For too long, bureaucratic overreach and activist-driven lawfare have undermined the multiple-use mandate of our National Forests and Grasslands. Today, we are empowering line officers with clear direction and reaffirming grazing as an essential tool for healthy landscapes and vibrant rural communities.”
The directive references implementation guidance from Under Secretary Michael Boren and builds on prior USDA policy actions, including the October 2025 USDA Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and a March 31, 2026 memorandum of understanding signed with the U.S. Department of the Interior.
USDA outlined several focus areas in the directive, including:
- Expanding access to grazing allotments, including those that are vacant or closed
- Increasing flexibility in grazing permits
- Streamlining permitting and allotment authorization processes.
The agency also noted efforts to improve communication with ranchers and provide clearer expectations for agency engagement.
The USDA said the directive is intended to support approximately 23,000 permit holders and lessees who use public rangelands, while maintaining grazing as part of federal land management and supporting domestic beef production.
