Title 43Public LandsRelease 119-73

§1905 Grazing fees; economic value of use of land; fair market value components; annual percentage change limitation

Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 37— - PUBLIC RANGELANDS IMPROVEMENT › § 1905

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

From 1979 through 1985, the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must set domestic livestock grazing fees so they reflect the economic value of using public rangelands. The fee is calculated from a $1.23 base (from the 1966 Western Livestock Grazing Survey) multiplied by the sum of two indexes, then divided by 100. Forage Value Index — computed each year from data the Economic Research Service provides. Combined Index — the Beef Cattle Price Index minus the Price Paid Index. Any fee may not rise or fall by more than plus or minus 25% from the previous year.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §1905

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the grazing years 1979 through 1985, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior shall charge the fee for domestic livestock grazing on the public rangelands which Congress finds represents the economic value of the use of the land to the user, and under which Congress finds fair market value for public grazing equals the $1.23 base established by the 1966 Western Livestock Grazing Survey multiplied by the result of the Forage Value Index (computed annually from data supplied by the Economic Research Service) added to the Combined Index (Beef Cattle Price Index minus the Price Paid Index) and divided by 100: Provided, That the annual increase or decrease in such fee for any given year shall be limited to not more than plus or minus 25 per centum of the previous year’s fee.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 12548. Grazing Fees Ex. Ord. No. 12548, Feb. 14, 1986, 51 F.R. 5985, provided: By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, and in order to provide for establishment of appropriate fees for the grazing of domestic livestock on public rangelands, it is ordered as follows: section 1. Determination of Fees. The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior are directed to exercise their authority, to the extent permitted by law under the various statutes they administer, to establish fees for domestic livestock grazing on the public rangelands which annually equals the $1.23 base established by the 1966 Western Livestock Grazing Survey multiplied by the result of the Forage Value Index (computed annually from data supplied by the Statistical Reporting Service) added to the Combined Index (Beef Cattle Price Index minus the Prices Paid Index) and divided by 100; provided, that the annual increase or decrease in such fee for any given year shall be limited to not more than plus or minus 25 percent of the previous year’s fee, and provided further, that the fee shall not be less than $1.35 per animal unit month. Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Order, the term: (a) “Public rangelands” has the same meaning as in the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–514) [this chapter]; (b) “Forage Value Index” means the weighted average estimate of the annual rental charge per head per month for pasturing cattle on private rangelands in the 11 Western States (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California) (computed by the Statistical Reporting Service from the June Enumerative Survey) divided by $3.65 and multiplied by 100; (c) “Beef Cattle Price Index” means the weighted average annual selling price for beef cattle (excluding calves) in the 11 Western States (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California) for November through October (computed by the Statistical Reporting Service) divided by $22.04 per hundred weight and multiplied by 100; and (d) “Prices Paid Index” means the following selected components from the Statistical Reporting Service’s Annual National Index of Prices Paid by Farmers for Goods and Services adjusted by the weights indicated in parentheses to reflect livestock production costs in the Western States: 1. Fuels and Energy (14.5); 2. Farm and Motor Supplies (12.0); 3. Autos and Trucks (4.5); 4. Tractors and Self-Propelled Machinery (4.5); 5. Other Machinery (12.0); 6. Building and Fencing Materials (14.5); 7. Interest (6.0); 8. Farm Wage Rates (14.0); 9. Farm Services (18.0). Sec. 3. Any and all existing rules, practices, policies, and

Regulations

relating to the administration of the formula for grazing fees in section 6(a) of the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 [43 U.S.C. 1905] shall continue in full force and effect. Sec. 4. This Order shall be effective immediately. Ronald Reagan.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 1905

Title 43Public Lands

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73