PASTURES Act

Bill Number

H.R. 774

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Last Updated

2025-03-12T08:07:41Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The PASTURES Act (H.R. 774) aims to protect livestock owners from penalties when their animals graze on specific federal lands that were previously open to grazing but later closed, especially if those lands border private property and lack a fence to keep animals out. It shifts responsibility for fencing costs to the federal government to support ranching operations near public lands.

Key Provisions

• Limitation on Penalties: The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior (referred to as the "Secretary concerned") cannot fine or punish livestock owners for animals grazing on "covered lands" if no fence exists to prevent it. Covered lands include National Forest System lands, areas managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and public lands where grazing was allowed by permit or lease after the bill's enactment but later banned, and which border private property.
• Fence Responsibilities: The federal government must pay for building and maintaining any fences on these covered lands to stop livestock grazing.
• Definitions:
• Livestock: Includes cattle, bison, horses, sheep, and goats.
• Grazing Permit or Lease: Refers to official federal approvals for grazing, as defined in existing regulations for forests, wildlife areas, and public lands.
• Secretary Concerned: The Secretary of Agriculture for national forests; the Secretary of the Interior for public lands and Fish and Wildlife Service areas.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces new protections not explicitly in current federal land management laws (such as the Federal Land Policy and Management Act or Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act). Previously, land managers could enforce grazing bans and penalize trespassing livestock without requiring fences or covering their costs. The act limits enforcement actions and assigns financial duties to the government for specific scenarios involving post-enactment permit changes.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior may face increased costs for fencing and reduced ability to enforce grazing restrictions, potentially complicating land management and conservation efforts on border areas.
• On Citizens: Benefits ranchers and farmers with private land next to federal areas by reducing financial and legal risks from livestock wandering onto formerly permitted grazing lands; could ease economic pressures in rural, agriculture-dependent communities.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic federal land use.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Livestock Owners and Ranchers: Primary beneficiaries, gaining protection from penalties and indirect support through government-funded fences.
• Federal Land Managers: Agencies like the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which must adapt enforcement and budget for new fencing expenses.
• Local Communities and Taxpayers: Rural areas may see economic boosts from sustained ranching, but national taxpayers could bear fencing costs.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens property rights for adjacent private landowners by limiting federal penalties, potentially reducing disputes over "trespass grazing." It relies on existing regulatory definitions but could invite lawsuits if agencies challenge the fence cost mandates as an unfunded burden.
• Constitutional: Aligns with federal authority over public lands (under Article IV) but may raise questions about balancing private economic interests against public resource protection, without directly conflicting with due process or takings clauses.
• Political: Supports agricultural and rural interests by prioritizing ranching over stricter environmental controls, reflecting debates on federal land use in Western states; could influence future policies on grazing permits amid climate and conservation pressures.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
• 2025-02-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
• 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-28: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Protecting Agricultural Spaces Through Effective Ranching Strategies Act — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (4 pages)