Rounds Introduces RANCH Act to Help Rebuild America’s Cattle Herd

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today introduced the Rebuilding America's National Cow Herd (RANCH) Act. This legislation would create a new voluntary grazing land restoration program that would open up to 20 million new acres for grazing. At full enrollment of 20 million acres, the program established by the RANCH Act would provide sufficient grazing land to support an estimated two to four million additional beef cows.

"Anyone who has spent time around cattle understands one simple truth: no grass means no cattle," said Rounds. "With ranchers facing drought, high input costs and a shortage of grazing land, America's beef cow herd is at its smallest size in over 70 years. The RANCH Act would create a voluntary Ranchland Program that helps producers restore eligible marginal cropland into grasslands for grazing. Producers can use their land in a way that makes the most sense for each individual operation, giving those who know their land best the tools needed to succeed."

"With the U.S. cattle herd at its smallest size in over 70 years, many farmers and ranchers need new opportunities to stay afloat," said Klobuchar. "The bipartisan RANCH Act will help farmers looking to start a cow-calf herd or expand their existing herd while also providing wildlife habitat on the land. In the long-term, this plan can rebuild the domestic cattle herd and help drive down beef costs."

The RANCH Act:

• Strengthens American food security by expanding the domestic beef supply and reducing reliance on imported beef.
• Puts American ranchers first, expanding the grazing land base needed to rebuild the national cowherd and meet growing consumer demand.
• Expands domestic demand for American-grown grain and forage, giving U.S. farmers a stronger, more reliable market as the cattle herd grows.
• Supports commodity prices for row crop producers by modestly tightening grain supply through a reduction in planted acres.
• Makes U.S. farmers and ranchers more competitive in the global marketplace while building a stronger domestic agricultural base.
• Enhances water quality, soil health and wildlife habitat through established perennial cover and managed grazing.
• Reinvigorates rural communities through the economic benefits of increased livestock production, grain demand and wildlife populations.
• Lowers the barrier to entry for beginning ranchers through targeted cost-share and signing incentive payments, bringing the next generation onto the land.

The RANCH Act is supported by the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association, Society for Range Management, Pheasants Forever, the World Wildlife Fund, the National Audubon Society, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, the National Wildlife Federation and the Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association.

"South Dakota cattle producers understand that well-managed grazing is not only compatible with conservation, it's one of our most effective conservation tools," said Craig Bieber, President of the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association and owner and operator of Bieber Red Angus Ranch near Leola. "Expanding access to grass, keeping working lands in production, and creating opportunities to responsibly grow the nation's cattle herd can strengthen ranch families, rural communities, and the health of our natural resources. The South Dakota Cattlemen's Association appreciates Senator Rounds' efforts to recognize cattle as an essential part of healthy, productive landscapes."

"I'm encouraged to see Congress listening to the voices of farmers and ranchers who work in grasslands every day. Strong grass-based agriculture depends on healthy, productive grasslands, and investments in voluntary grazing and conservation practices help keep ranching businesses profitable for the long term," says Dan Rasmussen, who, with his wife, Dawn, stewards 33 Ranch near Belvidere, South Dakota. "Through our work with Audubon and other partners, we've seen firsthand that when we manage grasslands well, our cattle benefit, wildlife thrives, and water quality improves. That's a win for ranchers, rural communities, and everyone who depends on these working lands."

"The RANCH Act is a smart investment in America's working lands at a critical time for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities," said Andrew Schmidt, Director of Government Affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. "Giving producers the tools to convert marginal cropland to grazing land can help ranchers grow their operations, bring more grass back to the landscape, and increase the habitat that pheasants, quail, and other wildlife depend on. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever thank Senators Rounds and Klobuchar for their leadership on this important legislation."

"The RANCH Act meets a critical need for America's ranchers and grasslands, particularly in the Great Plains," said Alexis Bonogofsky, Vice President of the Great Plains Program at the World Wildlife Fund. "It would create a dedicated program to restore grasslands for grazing and enable effective grazing management plans, which are essential to the productivity of both ranchers and grassland ecosystems. While the scale of marginal lands that need to be restored far exceeds the 20 million acres this program would support, this is a significant and welcome step forward."

"The RANCH ACT is the sort of legislation and idea that we have long worked on and hoped for to find new ways to incentivize creation of working forage to support ranchers, cow calf operations and cover for nesting ducks and other species," said John L. Devney, Chief Policy Officer at Delta Waterfowl. "We sincerely appreciate Senator Rounds and Senator Klobuchar for advancing this important idea."

"Healthy grazing lands are essential to a healthy landscape," said Ryan Taylor, Director of Public Policy at Ducks Unlimited. "The RANCH Act recognizes the conservation value of these working lands while helping address the need for additional livestock grazing. This legislation helps ranchers restore marginal cropland to perennial cover and managed grazing. Ducks Unlimited supports voluntary, rancher-driven solutions that improve habitat, soil health, and water quality while keeping ranchers on the land for generations to come."

"The Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association is grateful for Senator Amy Klobuchar's and Senator Mike Rounds' support of the RANCH Act, which would establish a new voluntary grazing land restoration program to support and enhance grazing lands across the country," said Jake Thompson, President of the Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association. "Grazing is an incredible tool for land management, and it is great to see a program that offers cost-share and signing incentive payments to offset financial costs for the producers."

Click HERE for a summary of the bill. Click HERE for full bill text.

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