Federal Grazing Permits and Subsidies Favor Wealthy Ranchers, Report Finds
An investigation has revealed that federal grazing permits and subsidies disproportionately benefit the wealthiest ranchers, leading to significant environmental degradation. The system, established during the New Deal era, allows ranchers to graze cattle on public lands at a fraction of the cost of private land. Despite efforts to increase grazing fees, political pushback has maintained the low costs, effectively subsidizing large ranchers, including billionaires and corporations. The report highlights the environmental impact of this system, with public lands suffering from overgrazing and other forms of degradation. 
