PASTURES Act

This bill limits when the federal government can fine ranchers if their animals wander onto nearby federal land. If a piece of federal land allowed grazing on or after the day this becomes law, and later the government bans it, ranchers can’t be penalized when there isn’t a fence to keep animals out. The Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior must pay to build and maintain any fence meant to stop grazing on those lands. Covered animals include cattle, bison, horses, sheep, and goats. The lands include national forests, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands, and other public lands that border private property .

Key points

• Who is affected: Livestock owners near national forests, Fish and Wildlife lands, or other public lands; and the federal agencies that manage those lands.
• What changes: No fines if animals graze on covered lands without a fence; the federal government must cover fence building and upkeep to prevent grazing on those lands .
• When: Applies to lands that allowed grazing on or after the law’s start date and later banned it, if they border private property.