The impact of alternative federal grazing fees on western livestock businesses

By C. Kerry Gee

Subjects: Range policy, Grazing, Administrative Fees, Animal industry, Economic aspects

Description: Many western livestock businesses depend on federal rangeland administered by the USFA Forest Service or the USDI Bureau of Land Management as a feed resource. Between 10-15 percent of the sheep in the 13 western states were in herds that graze federal rangeland. In the short-run most grazing users will continue to graze these lands is fees are increased to as high as ten dollars per animal unit month. In the long-run few users would have money to pay family labor, debt service costs, and a return on personal capital if fees are raised significantly and product prices remain near 1982 levels.