Department of the Interior Proposes Modernizing Grazing Regulations to Support Ranchers and Healthy Rangelands

The Department of the Interior continues to ask for public input on a proposal to update how livestock grazing is managed on public lands. The Bureau of Land Management's proposed grazing rule would give ranchers more flexibility, improve the health of rangelands and support rural communities across the West.

The proposal reflects the Trump administration’s priority to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, promote productive working lands and strengthen local economies.

“For too long, ranchers and land managers have been forced to work under outdated rules that do not match today’s challenges,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “President Trump has made it clear that we must cut red tape, support the people who feed our nation and ensure our public lands remain healthy for future generations. These updates will help us do exactly that.”

The rule proposes two major actions — streamlined grazing administration and expanded rangeland health standards. The Bureau of Land Management plans to update definitions, simplify processes and clarify regulatory language. The changes are intended to make it easier for ranchers to respond quickly to changing conditions on the land.

For decades, rangeland health standards have focused mostly on grazing. The proposed rule would continue using the standards to assess land health but would broaden their use to cover all programs managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The last major update to grazing regulations was in 1995. A 2006 revision was blocked in court, leaving the agency to operate under rules that have not kept pace with current needs.

As part of the 60-day comment period, the BLM will host a virtual information session, when the public will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposed grazing regulations. The session will be on June 11, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. MT, using Microsoft Teams video conferencing. The comment period for the proposed rule closes on July 13, 2026.

Additionally, earlier this month, Interior rescinded the BLM’s Public Lands Rule, formally known as the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, reaffirming the Department’s commitment to restoring balance in federal land management by prioritizing multiple use access, elevating local decision making, and supporting responsible energy development, ranching, grazing, timber production and recreation. The 2024 Public Lands Rule had elevated conservation, or what was described as “no use,” to the same level as other uses outlined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.