Permitted Livestock Grazing
UPDATE: Read the Forest Service Fact Sheet for grazing permittees about the New World screwworm (PDF, 102 KB)
America’s rangelands are more than open spaces. They are working landscapes that provide habitat, clean water and recreation opportunities while supporting rural communities and local economies that help feed the nation.
We join USDA in a commitment to streamline and expand livestock grazing, elevate grazing as a priority and strengthen support for America’s farmers and ranchers and the essential role they play in maintaining the nation’s food security.
Ranchers are vital stewards, helping to ensure these lands are healthier, more resilient and more productive for everyone who depends on them. Well-managed livestock grazing can increase biodiversity, reduce wildfire risk and remove invasive species.
From its early beginnings, the Forest Service has played a vital role in managing grazing on public lands. Today, our renewed look includes improved collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, our federal partner, and how we work with grazing permittees, non-government agencies and the livestock industry.
Today, livestock grazing is permitted on over 74 million of the 193 million acres of National Forest System lands across nearly 30 states. The Forest Service administers permits for approximately 5,600 permittees, collecting roughly $6.5 million to $7 million annually through grazing fees. A portion of these funds go to state and counties as payment in lieu of taxes dollars and a portion returned to the agency as range betterment funds for on-the-ground range rehabilitation, protection and improvements on grazing allotments.
When we all work together, we can protect these landscapes, support responsible grazing and ensure that future generations inherit thriving, well-managed rangelands able to produce top-quality beef for American consumption.
Enhancing grazing
We are taking steps consistent with applicable law and regulations to further support ranchers and remove barriers to grazing on their units starting now. Our actions reflect a simple belief: good stewardship and good relationships go hand in hand.
Our work includes the following:
The Forest Service conducts annual internal reviews of vacant grazing allotments to better identify resource needs; build or improve infrastructure, such as wire for fencing, virtual fences and water systems; and determine what active management activities are needed to prepare allotments for grazing.
We are taking steps to increase occupancy and capacity of permitted livestock while addressing resource concerns like drought, endangered species and forage availability. Line officers and rangeland management staff will meet with ranchers to review allotment conditions and discuss possible adjustments—this may include completing range improvement projects that provide more forage, modifying allotments or pastures, or offering a broader range of grazing options and management flexibility to keep working lands working.
The Forest Service will expand the use of targeted grazing, including vacant allotments, as an active management tool to reduce wildfire fuels, reduce invasive species and support cost-effective resource improvements. We will work with ranchers to promote the availability of vacant allotments in advance of a typical wildfire season.
Where possible, we will increase use of agreements, such as Shared Stewardship and Good Neighbor Authority, to support land management goals across jurisdictions. We are exploring opportunities to use these agreements with ranching partners to improve rangeland conditions that cannot be achieved through a standard-term grazing permit.
The Forest Service is reviewing internal guidance and regulations to improve efficiency and remove outdated or unnecessary barriers that slow rangeland improvements and coordination. Chief Schultz has identified Deregulation and Organizational Efficiency as one of his eight priorities. Our goal is to streamline processes, reduce regulatory burden and add flexibility when it benefits land management.
The Forest Service issues grazing permits that allow individuals and organizations to use designated lands for domestic livestock production. These permits ensure that users align with ecological health, safety standards and federal law. In 2025, USDA released a federal initiative (PDF, 1.75 MB) designed to support ranchers by working to streamline access to grazing allotments managed by the Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which signed an agreement (PDF, 1.17 MB) to work together.
Grazing management on rangelands today is a collaborative effort. While there may be concerns, gaining the understanding and cooperation of everyone improves the chances for a successful program.
The agency is engaging with the American ranching community through a series of roundtable conversations and one-on-one discussions toward elevating rural America by giving ranchers a better voice. The goal is to bring the livestock and public lands grazing advocacy communities together to exchange ideas and work toward shared goals.
In addition to these conversations, the Forest Service will provide consistent and accessible grazing allotment data—including dashboards and other online tools—that provide round-the-clock information about grazing on National Forest Systems lands.
The Forest Service is committed to working with the Bureau of Land Management to promote consistent grazing permit practices and policies. As the two major federal agencies that administer public rangelands, we want to create greater flexibility for permittees, coordinate management practices and protocols and develop better systems for storing and sharing data.