The U.S. Department of the Interior has revoked seven grazing permits in Phillips County, used by American Prairie to maintain its bison herd. This decision follows a lengthy conflict involving the Montana livestock industry, supported by Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Justice, against American Prairie, a conservation nonprofit aiming to restore Montana’s prairie ecosystem.
The Montana Stockgrowers Association lauded the decision, calling it a significant victory for public lands ranching. “MSGA is thrilled to see this decision by the BLM to restore grazing allotments back to their intended usage for production livestock grazing,” MSGA President Lesley Robinson stated. This change, according to Robinson, benefits ranching families and rural communities across the West.
American Prairie criticized the decision as a “troubling precedent” that undermines reliable federal land management. CEO Ali Fox noted, “This decision is not grounded in new impacts or new information — it appears to be completely arbitrary and is unfair.” American Prairie emphasized the ecological role of bison in prairie ecosystems.
The decision letter from Sonya Germann, State Director for the Bureau of Land Management’s Montana/Dakotas office, challenged American Prairie’s characterization of their bison herd. The Interior Department cited the 1934 Taylor Grazing Act, noting that grazing permits should be for domestic, production-oriented purposes only.
Since 2005, American Prairie has grazed bison under federal permits, but recent policy revisions initiated under the Trump administration have prompted reevaluation. The BLM’s decision was to restrict permits to cattle-only, aligning with statutory definitions of livestock.
Though bison grazing is allowed in other states like Colorado and Wyoming, the reversal in Montana marks a significant shift. The nonprofit American Prairie, established in 2001, has acquired extensive landholdings and federal leases to support a healthy prairie ecosystem—a strategy that has faced opposition from local politicians and ranchers.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, alongside Gov. Gianforte, praised the cancellation as a win for Montana agriculture. “Canceling the American Prairie Reserve’s bison grazing permit will help to protect the livestock industry and ranching communities in Northeastern Montana from the elitists trying to push them out,” Knudsen stated.
American Prairie is considering a legal response, indicating a potential challenge in federal court to contest the revocation of its permits.
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