Grassley, Marshall, Barrasso Call for Expanded Grazing Access for American Cattle Producers

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, joined U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. America’s cattle herd is currently at its lowest level in roughly 75 years. “The United States’ beef industry is the greatest in the world and one of the brightest spots of American agriculture, making up nearly a quarter of U.S. agriculture receipts. The federal government must remain laser-focused on partnering with the industry and state efforts for ranchers, expand grazing on public and private lands, and improve protein processing capacity,” the senators wrote . The senators are urging USDA and the Interior Department to prioritize the production of American beef through several mechanisms, including finalizing the Bureau of Land Management’s grazing rule and reevaluating federal programs that limit grazing capacity. They are also pressing the agencies to strengthen livestock risk management tools and improve meat processing capacity. “Recent legislation such as the Working Families Tax Cuts Act has strengthened American agriculture and the producers who sustain it. We stand ready to build on that record through the 2026 Farm Bill and other upcoming legislation to support our ranchers and keep beef an affordable, nutritious choice for American families. Through regulatory and statutory reforms, together we can help to rebuild the herd,” the senators continued . Full text of the letter can be found HERE . Background: Grassley has worked to support American cattle producers through efforts to bolster market transparency and take on market consolidation in the meatpacking industry. In March, Grassley and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the bipartisan Livestock Consolidation Research Act to support research into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers. A similar provision was included in the U.S. Senate version of the Farm Bill. Last year, he sponsored the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act to support cattle producers by beefing up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in the consolidated meatpacking industry. -30-