The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have announced the federal grazing fee remains $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM) on federal lands.
An AUM is calculated as the use of public lands by one cow-calf pair, one horse, five sheep or five goats for one month. The fee will apply to nearly 18,000 BLM grazing permits and leases, and nearly 6,250 USFS permits.
The annually determined fee is established using a 1966 base value of $1.23 per AUM. Under a 1986 presidential order, the grazing fee cannot fall below $1.35 per AUM, and any increase or decrease cannot exceed 25% percent of the previous year’s level.
The figure is calculated according to current private grazing land lease rates, beef cattle prices and the cost of livestock production.
