IN THIS ISSUE
National Cattlemen’ s Beef Association
NOVEMBER 2025 | Vol. 42, No. 1 | NCBA. org
NCBA SECURES PUBLIC LANDS RULE REPEAL, PREVENTS DISRUPTIONS FOR GRAZIERS
Thanks to the persistent advocacy of the National Cattlemen’ s Beef Association( NCBA) and the Public Lands Council( PLC), ranchers across the West are celebrating a major victory as the Bureau of Land Management( BLM) begins repealing its controversial“ Conservation and Landscape Health” rule— commonly known as the“ Public Lands Rule.” During the Biden administration, this rule added conservation as an official use of federal lands, allowing for conservation leases which could have displaced cattle if grazing or any other use was deemed incompatible with restoration goals. In response to this organizational effort and the voices of ranchers nationwide, the Trump administration and new BLM leadership are now reversing course, preventing major disruptions to cattle production and safeguarding ranching on public lands.
The Biden administration’ s“ Public Lands Rule” violated the multiple use mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976( FLPMA). NCBA and PLC challenged the rule in a 2024 lawsuit, not only because it violated the multiple use mandate, but it also would have paved the way for the federal government to remove family ranching operations and other uses from these working lands. Under FLPMA, BLM is required to balance the multiple uses of public lands, including livestock grazing, energy, mining, timber and recreation. The Biden-era rule would have upended this multiple use system by adding conservation as a brand-new use for federal lands without Congressional approval, in direct conflict with existing federal law. The Biden administration also proposed this rule without input from federal lands ranchers and local communities that depend on revenue derived from grazing.
Cattle producers who graze on public lands are a testing ground for activists. Continued on page 7
IN THIS ISSUE
FIVE WINTER GRAZING TIPS | PG. 8
Grazing management is a year-round endeavor, but as producers head into winter, here are five easy things to consider.
CATTLEMEN’ S COLLEGE FOR ALL | PG. 10
New this year, all registered attendees can participate in top-notch Cattlemen’ s College sessions.
2025 ESAP REGIONAL WINNERS | PG. 12
Each of these cattle operations display how they’ ve spent years working to leave the land better than they found it for future generations of cattlemen and women.