By Julie Murphree
a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) by USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and DOI Secretary Doug Burgum. It formalizes enhanced coordination between the USDA Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to support ranchers using public lands for livestock grazing.
This MOU builds directly on the USDA's Grazing Action Plan (released in fall 2025 as part of broader efforts to strengthen the U.S. beef industry). The plan and MOU aim to:
- Boost domestic beef production by increasing and stabilizing access to federal grazing lands.
- Cut bureaucratic red tape and delays in permitting.
- Recognize ranchers (permittees) as essential partners in land management.
- Support rural economies in the West while maintaining or improving rangeland health and reducing wildfire risks through managed grazing.
- Contribute to lower consumer prices for beef by expanding supply and efficiency.
Here in Arizona, ranchers can identify with the current challenges this MOU hopes to address. “At last count, we have 84 vacant U.S. Forest Service grazing allotments in Arizona and New Mexico,” said Arizona Farm Bureau Second Vice President and southern Rancher Ben Menges. “That’s just one agency, and one Forest Service region. This is the same story throughout the West, and if the trend continues, we simply won’t be using the public’s land for food. This MOU is a terrific start to make meaningful changes to ranches that utilize federal lands. A rancher’s job in the desert is difficult enough. It’s high time the federal government realizes it should be working to encourage beef production rather than presenting unnecessary obstacles preventing it from occurring. It’s refreshing for Arizona ranchers to have friends in Secretaries Rollins and Burgum, and I look forward to seeing what results come from this MOU.”
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