What Happened
In May 2026, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum finalized a ban on American Prairie’s bison grazing on Bureau of Land Management land in Montana. The administration claims the ban does not affect tribal herds, but the Coalition of Large Tribes — representing tribes that manage 25,000 buffalo — says that is not true. As written, the rule makes it unlikely any tribal government or tribal citizen herd would ever qualify for a BLM grazing lease.
Burgum also repealed the Biden-era Public Lands Rule, which had put conservation on equal footing with mining, drilling, and logging. New regulations ease access specifically for livestock grazing.
Meanwhile, the federal grazing fee remains $1.69 per animal unit month. Private land grazing costs $20 or more in most Western states.
| Where | Cost per animal unit month |
|---|---|
| Federal land (BLM) | $1.69 |
| Private land (Western states) | $20+ |
The $1.35 floor was set by a 1986 executive order and Congress has never updated it.
$1.69 per month for cattle on federal land. $20+ on private land. Bison are banned entirely.
Why This Matters Beyond Montana
Bison restoration is a tribal sovereignty issue, a wildlife management issue, and a public land accountability issue at the same time. When the government bans bison from public land while subsidizing cattle at a fraction of market rates, the question is not really about grazing. It is about who public land is for.
Earthjustice filed a legal challenge calling the decision arbitrary. The House Natural Resources Committee has jurisdiction but has not scheduled oversight hearings.
What You Can Do
- Go to the Environment actions page and send a letter on public land protections.
- Call your representative and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 5785, the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act. It lets ranchers voluntarily waive federal grazing permits to permanently restore wildlife corridors and reduce administration costs.
- Send this to someone who hunts, fishes, hikes, or ranches on public land. They have a stake in how BLM manages these leases.