Secretary Burgum Steps In on Long-Stalled Grazing Case

December 11, 2025

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has assumed jurisdiction over long-running appeals challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of American Prairie’s bison grazing on federal allotments in Phillips County, Montana, a move ranchers say could finally bring resolution to a dispute that has been stalled for years.

The December 9, 2025 memorandum directs the Office of Hearings and Appeals to transfer all filings and case materials to the Secretary’s office, placing final review authority directly in Burgum’s hands. The appeals were brought by the State of Montana, the Governor’s Office, and the North Phillips County Cooperative State Grazing District following BLM decisions issued in 2022.

Montana Stockgrowers President and Phillips County rancher Lesley Robinson said the Secretary’s action marks a significant shift after years of inaction.

“This whole process has been in limbo for a long time,” Robinson said. “We entered the appeal with the North and South Phillips County Grazing Districts years ago, and it’s essentially just been sitting there. With Secretary Burgum taking jurisdiction, we have more confidence that something will finally be done.”

Robinson said the case extends well beyond a single allotment and could influence future grazing decisions across the West.

“A lot of what was requested in this change of use sets precedent,” she said. “That’s why ranchers across Montana — and even in North Dakota — stepped up to support this appeal. It’s not just about one allotment; it’s about how these decisions affect public-lands grazing everywhere.”

At the center of the dispute is whether federal grazing law was properly applied to American Prairie’s proposal to graze bison for conservation purposes. Robinson said the Taylor Grazing Act was never intended to govern conservation herds.

“We’re talking about a bison herd that’s managed for conservation, not production,” Robinson said. “The Taylor Grazing Act governs specific species, and bison are not one of them. That’s the core issue with using these grazing leases the way they were approved.”

The controversy dates to August 2022, when the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Phillips County grazing districts, and state officials filed appeals arguing that BLM’s decision violated federal land-management laws and failed to account for impacts on neighboring livestock operations and rural communities. Requests to halt grazing during the appeal were later denied by the Office of Hearings and Appeals, allowing bison grazing to proceed while challenges continued.

Robinson said ranchers are prepared to see the process through, regardless of the outcome.

“We’ll wait for the decision and go from there,” she said. “But we’re in this because we don’t believe this is a precedent that should be set.”

By assuming jurisdiction, Secretary Burgum now has direct authority over how the appeals are reviewed and resolved — a step ranchers hope will bring clarity to a case that has shaped public-lands grazing policy debates for more than three years.

The appeals were brought by the State of Montana, the Governor’s Office, and the North Phillips County Cooperative State Grazing District following BLM decisions issued in 2022.

Source: Western Ag Network