A federal judge has ruled that American Prairie can continue grazing bison on three federal grazing allotments amid an ongoing federal lawsuit. Judge Brian Morris’s decision temporarily blocks a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule aiming to remove 900 bison from these areas, managed by the nonprofit conservation group. The lawsuit, filed by American Prairie against the BLM and the Department of the Interior, challenges a new rule potentially altering bison grazing practices across the United States.
In May, the BLM revoked six American Prairie permits covering over 60,000 acres, citing the federal Taylor Grazing Act which mandates livestock on federal land to be “production-oriented.” This move faced backlash from Montana’s Republican federal delegation and statewide officials. Governor Greg Gianforte and the delegation urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review the bison leases, arguing that American Prairie’s mission conflicts with the state’s economic interests and agricultural land use.
Judge Morris countered this view, noting that approximately half of the bison raised by American Prairie have been sold, contributing to food sovereignty programs, herd expansion, and hunting initiatives. He stated, “No statutory language or judicial precedent exists that requires a livestock operation to focus exclusively on production and entirely ignore conservation, range improvement, preservation, or other values.”
The federal government and Montana officials have contested the classification of bison as “livestock,” but the court upheld the definition found in Black’s Law Dictionary, stating American Prairie’s bison herd qualifies as livestock. The ruling did not address three additional grazing allotments previously agreed upon with the BLM but not currently used by American Prairie.
Alison Fox, CEO of American Prairie, expressed relief, stating, “Bison belong on this landscape, and today’s ruling gives them a chance to stay.” She emphasized the potential harm removal could cause to their conservation efforts and to Tribal partners working to restore bison to their native habitats. Concerns about the genetic diversity of the bison herd were also highlighted if the bison faced removal by the previously set deadline of Sept. 30.
The Montana Attorney General’s Office declined to comment on the ruling when approached on Friday.
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