2017 BLM Grazing Fee Established

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have announced the grazing fee for federally-owned lands at $1.87 per animal unit month, a decrease from 2016.

Allen Rowley with USFS said the fee is set through a formula that was created during the Ronald Reagan Administration.

“The formula includes a forage value index, a beef cattle producers index, and an input or a cost to the producer index.”

Rowley said the BLM fee is generally lower than fees for grazing on private land, but it is also riskier.

“There’s a little more risk of negative predator interaction. There’s a little more risk that your livestock might find some noxious, poisonous weeds. The third risk would be for livestock that might go on a walkabout that you may have difficulty recovering.”

There are 93 million acres nationwide devoted to grazing with approximately 6,000 permittees who use it. Contact the Forest Service or BLM if you’re interested in taking part.

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