Estimating Forage Values for Grazing National Forest Lands

Every 5 years, the Forest Service is required to update its estimates of the value of Forest Service grazing. This report provides estimates of the maximum ability of ranchers to pay for Forest Service grazing. Abilities to pay vary greatly depending on the region of the country and assumptions about costs. Based on current cash costs, the value of Forest Service grazing is greater than the grazing fee. Based on longrun economic costs, the value of grazing is less than the grazing fee. In some regions of the United States, the longrun value of grazing is zero. These low longrun values reflect the low returns to cow/calf producers in the period on which this study was based