The Biggest Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Grazing on Public Lands

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Mark OlaldeJanuary 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

A ProPublica and High Country News investigation revealed the extent and impact of livestock grazing on public lands in the Western United States. The federal government subsidizes this practice, allowing ranchers to graze livestock on an area twice the size of California. In 2024, grazing fees charged to ranchers by the BLM and Forest Service were 93% lower than market rates, while subsidies totaled at least $2.5 billion. The investigation found that a small percentage of wealthy individuals and corporations control the majority of grazing permits on public lands. These financial benefits extend beyond cattle sales, including property tax breaks for hobby ranches. The investigation highlights the financial incentives and environmental impacts of public lands ranching.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

California 60% Arizona 60% Colorado 60% Montana 60% Nevada 60% Stan Kroenke 70% Rupert Murdoch 70% Donald Trump 70% ProPublica 80% High Country News 80% Forest Service ×280% Bureau of Land Management ×290%

Keywords

public lands ranching 100% grazing 90% subsidies 80% environmental impacts 70% bureau of land management 60% forest service 60% grazing fees 50% overgrazing 50% livestock 40% ranchers 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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public lands ranching grazing subsidies environmental impacts bureau of land management forest service grazing fees overgrazing livestock ranchers

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