USDA Secretary Rollins implements grazing and ESG reforms

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has introduced several policy shifts aimed at supporting domestic ranchers and the dairy industry. Through a June 2026 Grazing Directive, the USDA is working to streamline and expand livestock grazing on federal lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The directive aims to restore at least 500,000 head months across National Forest System lands within two years and implements a policy of no net loss of Animal Unit Months within allotments.

Additionally, Secretary Rollins issued a memorandum on September 17, 2026, terminating mandatory Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) related checkoff funding. This reform directs Research and Promotion Boards to align with administration priorities focusing on agricultural production and profitability rather than ideologically driven mandates. The USDA has requested that boards, including the National Dairy Board, cease all work and materials associated with ESG, net-zero, or climate neutrality initiatives and provide a plan for terminating such activities by September 30, 2026.