In an October 5 letter, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urged ranchers with permits on U.S. Forest Service allotments to review and use the grazing directive issued on June 12. USDA released the letter on October 9. The communication does not issue a new directive; it explains the existing policy documents’ aim to expand livestock grazing on federal lands and streamline administration.

The letter says the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management administer about 240 million acres of rangelands in 28 states and support more than 23,000 permittees and lessees. The June directive sets a goal of restoring at least 500,000 head-months of grazing across National Forest System lands within two years, consistent with applicable laws and regulations; it also calls for making vacant or closed allotments available, avoiding net losses in grazing capacity within allotments and improving wildfire planning. These are policy instructions and targets, not reported completed results.