October 27 directive targets grazing access, permit renewals and public information; existing permit holders should distinguish new agency priorities from approved grazing rights.
DENVER, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A federal directive to identify additional livestock grazing opportunities on public lands may eventually affect working ranch operations across the West. For current permit holders, however, the distinction between an agency directive and an approved grazing authorization remains essential.
On October 27, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed Secretary's Order 3454, "Supporting America's Ranchers through Resilient Rangelands." The order directs Interior agencies to identify potentially suitable grazing lands, address grazing-permit renewal delays, review suspended grazing use and develop a more comprehensive public map of grazing opportunities.
How the initiative developed
The October order follows a broader federal initiative addressing livestock production and public-land grazing. A March 31, 2026 Bureau of Land Management announcement introduced an online map of vacant grazing allotments. The President's Executive Order 14425, issued September 4, 2026, directed federal agencies to examine policies affecting American ranchers. Secretary's Order 3454 establishes additional Interior agency assignments and implementation deadlines.
The Department of the Interior cites permit delays, access to grazing opportunities, rangeland health and domestic livestock production among the reasons for the initiative. These are policy objectives; additional authorized grazing is not yet an automatic outcome.
What changes for existing ranch owners?
The order directs agencies to identify potential new grazing opportunities, develop a BLM plan to reduce permit-renewal backlogs, review suspended animal unit months (AUMs), and improve public information and application processes. It does not automatically increase a permit holder's authorized AUMs, transfer grazing privileges with a deed or guarantee approval of a vacant allotment.
Ranch owners should review their current permit terms, authorized AUMs, grazing seasons, renewal status and any suspended use. They should discuss specific opportunities and applications with the responsible BLM field office rather than relying on map information alone.
A working ranch illustrates the difference
Mason & Morse Ranch Company's L Cross Ranch near Del Norte, Colorado, illustrates why buyers must distinguish deeded land from grazing access. The published listing describes a 60,025-acre operating ranch comprising 6,581 deeded acres, 11,460 acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing, 26,140 acres of U.S. Forest Service grazing and 15,844 acres of Colorado state lease land. The property also includes irrigated acreage and water resources supporting its agricultural operation. The federal grazing components alone total 37,600 acres, but they are not deeded property. Their operational contribution depends on applicable authorizations, grazing seasons, permitted use and agency requirements. The new order does not automatically enlarge L Cross Ranch's existing grazing rights.
"A ranch's total operating acreage is only the starting point. Buyers need to understand what is deeded, what grazing is authorized, how dependable the water resources are and how the operation functions. Federal grazing can be an important part of ranches overall value, but the real question is what those resources contribute to the operation economically." — Bart Miller, ALC, Managing Broker and Partner, Mason & Morse Ranch Company
Where to find grazing opportunities
The BLM launched its online vacant-allotment opportunity map in March 2026. The October order calls for expanded public mapping as agency reviews proceed. Ranchers can view the map and contact the relevant BLM field office to verify eligibility, conditions and application requirements.
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/0a208d6eac6144969213c68519a8cfdd
About Mason & Morse Ranch Company
Founded in Colorado, in 1961, Mason & Morse Ranch Company – www.ranchland.com is a specialized brokerage firm, specializes in the sale and valuation of working ranches, farms, recreational and sporting properties, and investment-grade rural land for buyer and sellers.
The company has completed more than $2 billion in ranch, farm, recreational, and rural land sales involving more than 1.2 million acres. Licensed across 13 states and backed by more than 133 years of combined broker experience, its land professionals bring firsthand knowledge of grazing operations, water rights, agricultural production, livestock capacity and rural property transactions.
Guided by its Live It to Know It® philosophy, Mason & Morse Ranch Company is recognized as the authority on western land values.
Sources: U.S. Department of the Interior, Secretary's Order 3454 (October 27, 2026); Bureau of Land Management grazing program and vacant-allotment map; Mason & Morse Ranch Company, L Cross Ranch listing (https://www.ranchland.com/type/lifestyle-and-luxury/l-cross-ranch-3578).
Media Contact
Bart Miller, Mason & Morse Ranch Company, 1 877-207-9700, [email protected]
SOURCE Mason & Morse Ranch Company
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