10/06/2026
A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that will support restoration of native grasslands for livestock grazing. The Rebuilding America's National Cow Herd (RANCH) Act (S.5277) is a bipartisan U.S. legislative proposal designed to address historically low livestock inventories by creating a voluntary grazing land restoration program that includes supporting native grassland habitat. The goal is to convert up to 20 million acres of marginal cropland into perennial grass and forb cover suitable for managed livestock grazing. Under the bill, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will establish contracts with eligible ranchers to, among other things, provide funds for high-quality, diverse, native seed mixes for establishment of perennial grass and forb cover. A stated priority of this new program is to support wildlife habitat and corridors. Find out more about S.5277 here:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5277/text
If you want to let your U.S. Senator know you support this bill click on the following link.
https://act.audubon.org/a/ranch-act-2026
Grassland birds have suffered the biggest decline of any group of birds since 1970. Act now to help them.
