Legislation would restore up to 20 million acres of grazing land on marginal cropland
August 19, 2026 – Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced the Rebuilding America’s National Cow Herd (RANCH) Act, legislation that would help producers convert marginal cropland to perennial cover for managed grazing. With America’s beef cow herd at its smallest size in 70 years and grasslands disappearing at a rapid pace, the RANCH Act would support livestock production by increasing access to grazing lands, allowing existing operations to expand and providing opportunities for young and beginning producers, while also creating additional habitat for wildlife.