Above is our “Best of Show” winner from the Outback Roundup 2026, “For the love of chickens - a girl’s best friend” by Marina Schultz, and announced in the Summer 2026 edition of RANGE magazine. A big thank you to all who entered — be sure to watch for the Merit Award winners who will be announced in the Fall 2026 edition.

We had a great time last week with Beth Ann Schoeneberg on her radio show at CSC Talk Radio, generously sponsored by Loving Liberty Network, where we talked about the Summer edition of the magazine and walked through some of the stories.

Beth Ann and I always end up talking about old movies somehow, and this time we got stuck on Eldorado, my favorite growing up. Family lore says that if I’d have been a boy, my name would have been Badillion. One of the poems my dad would quote as we moved cattle across the Reese River Valley or late nights driving home from a horse-trading trip came from the opening scenes of this movie:

Gaily bedight,
   A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,   
   Had journeyed long,   
   Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.
   But he grew old—
   This knight so bold—   
And o’er his heart a shadow—   
   Fell as he found
   No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.
   And, as his strength   
   Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow—   
   ‘Shadow,’ said he,   
   ‘Where can it be—
This land of Eldorado?’
   ‘Over the Mountains
   Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,   
   Ride, boldly ride,’
   The shade replied,—
‘If you seek for Eldorado!’

By Lazelle Jones — When we heard about the May 2026 Bryce Canyon Mule Days, Lazelle Jones headed to Tropic, Utah, for the 10th anniversary celebration of this event. For many, the prowess of the mule flies under the radar, but for others, their love affair with the mule has no bounds. Held the first full week in May, classes, seminars, trail rides through red rock slot canyons, socials and banquets, a mule auction, and vendors, are on the schedule. This year, the raffle of a 9-month-old mule named Zelda was held, with Zelda going home with the lucky ticket holder. Folks come from far and wide to participate in Bryce Canyon Mule Days, with some coming specifically to look at and possibly buy their first mule, or to trade up to their next mule. Many on their way to the Grand Staircase Escalante on vacation, stop simply to see what the heck is going on in Tropic, Utah. All are welcome. This year, owners will trailer about 150 mules from as far away as Alaska to be with friends who share the same passion as theirs, the love of mules. We were there to chat with those who use mules to work cattle and prefer the mule when managing the bovine. Our mission while there was to find out exactly what qualities and characteristics the mule brings to the range setting when it comes to cattle management. The strengths mules possess will be looked at, and next Spring, RANGE Magazine will feature an article detailing exactly what those pluses are.

Western rangeland restoration paper makes the case for grazing reform

A new paper from Western Justice Legislative Fund lays out a sweeping argument for restoring both the economic viability of Western ranching and the ecological health of federal rangelands.

Authored by Ramona Hage Morrison, the piece traces the legal and historical foundation of grazing rights, water rights, and federal land policy, then argues that decades of reduced livestock numbers, cancelled preferences, administrative appeals, and litigation have weakened rural economies while leaving many landscapes more vulnerable to fire, invasive species, and unmanaged forage buildup.

The recommendations are direct: restore permitted livestock numbers and seasons of use where they have been cut, reinstate cancelled grazing preferences on vacant allotments, create a NEPA categorical exclusion for routine grazing permit renewals, address wild horse conflicts where herd numbers exceed legal management levels, and audit the Range Improvement Fund.

Whether readers agree with every conclusion or not, the paper is worth reading because it puts many of the current BLM grazing debates into a much longer frame — one that includes settlement history, water law, the Taylor Grazing Act, FLPMA, wildfire, rural economics, and the long-running fight over who is best positioned to care for Western rangelands.

For anyone trying to understand why grazing policy is not just a ranching issue — but a land health, fire, food production, and rural survival issue — this is a piece to read closely. Find it online at the link and spend a little time with it. It is not light reading, but it is important reading.

and on that note… PLC applauds BLM grazing rule reform, repeal of Public Lands Rule

The Public Lands Council is calling two new federal actions a major win for Western ranchers and the return of practical multiple-use management on public lands.

On May 12, the Trump administration announced a final rule rescinding the Biden-era Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, commonly known as the Public Lands Rule. At the same time, the administration released a proposed rule to update the Bureau of Land Management’s grazing regulations, which have not seen major reform in more than 35 years.

For public lands ranchers, the two moves are connected. PLC has argued since the Public Lands Rule was finalized in 2024 that the rule elevated “conservation” in a way that could have pushed grazing off working landscapes, despite the role well-managed livestock grazing can play in reducing wildfire fuels, supporting rangeland health, and keeping families on the land.

PLC President Tim Canterbury, a Colorado permittee, said ranchers had been clear from the beginning that the administration needed to remove policies that picked winners and losers on public lands and modernize outdated grazing regulations.

The proposed grazing rule is aimed at giving BLM field staff and permittees more flexibility to use adaptive management, rather than being boxed in by rules written in response to the old “cattle free by ’93” campaign. PLC says the current system has made it harder for producers and agency staff to respond to changing conditions on the ground — drought, fire, forage, water, and actual range conditions — with common-sense decisions.

Across the West, grazing policy affects family ranches, rural economies, wildfire risk, wildlife habitat, and the long-term care of public lands.

PLC says the updated regulations are a step toward recognizing the full value of livestock grazing, not only for food and fiber production, but also for fuel reduction, biodiversity, and keeping working landscapes managed instead of abandoned.

Steve Pearce confirmed to lead BLM

On May 19, the U.S. Senate confirmed former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce to serve as director of the BLM, the federal agency responsible for managing roughly 245 million acres of public land and 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. The vote was narrow — 46-43 — and largely followed party lines.

For public lands ranchers, the confirmation is significant because BLM has gone long stretches in recent years without a Senate-confirmed director. The Public Lands Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and American Sheep Industry Association all supported Pearce’s nomination, saying ranchers need permanent leadership at the agency to improve consistency, strengthen partnerships, and move grazing policy forward.

PLC President Tim Canterbury, a Colorado permittee, said Pearce has been a strong advocate for the multiple-use mandate and for working with ranchers during his years in public service. NCBA President Gene Copenhaver called Pearce “the right person” to lead the agency and increase partnerships with producers who manage millions of acres of range and pastureland.

The confirmation comes at a busy and important moment for Western land policy. BLM is already moving through major changes, including repeal of the Biden-era Public Lands Rule, proposed updates to grazing regulations, and recent decisions tied to grazing allotments and bison use on public lands.

Pearce’s nomination drew sharp opposition from conservation and public lands groups, which pointed to his past support for public land sales, his ties to the oil and gas industry and concerns that the agency will prioritize drilling, mining, and land disposal over conservation. The Wilderness Society and other groups have warned they will be watching closely for land exchanges, mineral leasing, monument management, staffing cuts, and other actions under Pearce’s leadership.

For ranchers and rural communities, the real test will not be the confirmation vote. It will be whether BLM under Pearce can return to practical, local, multiple-use management — with enough flexibility for grazing, fire prevention, wildlife habitat, energy, recreation, and the people who live with these landscapes every day.

USDA Rural Development has opened Phase Four of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, with $60 million available to help expand and diversify processing capacity. This round is aimed especially at strengthening the American beef industry, opening local market opportunities, and improving supply chain resiliency. Eligible facilities must primarily process cattle, though grant funds or equipment may also be used for meat and poultry processing at the same facility.

Applications opened May 7 and are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Aug. 7, 2026, through Grants.gov. Late applications will not be accepted.

USDA is accepting two types of applications. Processing Expansion Projects may request $50,000 to $2 million for equipment purchases over $250,000, facility improvements, upgrades, renovations or retrofits needed to expand capacity. These projects require a 50 percent match. Simplified Equipment-Only Projects may request $10,000 to $250,000 for equipment-only purchases, with a 25 percent match.

This is one worth flagging for local processors, ranchers, producer groups, tribes, cooperatives, and rural economic development leaders. Processing capacity is one of the biggest bottlenecks in the livestock business, and programs like this can help keep more value closer to home.

Read the full details and application materials here:
USDA Rural Development MPPEP Phase Four
Grants.gov Opportunity Listing
American Association of Meat Processors grant page

A word from our sponsors, quickly…

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Horses and Ice Hockey.

Patricia Aiken — It’s not often you come across the words hockey and ranching in the same sentence. However, LactiGo and the animal version Velocity are tying them together. LactiGo is a patented transdermal water molecule delivery gel originally designed for athletes. The National Hockey League mandated that if a team uses LactiGo, it must provide it in the visitor locker room. Why? Because it gives the team an unfair advantage. LactiGo’s Chief Scientist Chad Macias trains Olympic athletes at his institute and has 50 Gold Medals he credits to LactiGo.

Mystic Dan was the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner with 18-1 odds. Two weeks before the Derby, the trainer started applying Velocity. Three days before the race, Mystic Dan’s owner called Kevin Atkinson at LactiGo to say that the horse was running winning times. Kevin replied, “What are you doing? Put it on your other four horses!” On Derby day, one horse had to scratch. Mystic Dan won, and the other three finished 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th.

A ranch in Winnemucca is using Velocity on heifers and has noticed an appreciable difference in their ease in calving. Top rodeo athletes are using LactiGo on their injuries and Velocity on these horses. Allen Hurst in Missouri, ranches and works in concrete at his day job. He developed excruciating carpal tunnel pain, applied LactiGo once, and has been pain-free for three weeks.

Support you and your family’s health, your horses’ health, and RANGE. To order, or for more information, call 702-449-0044 or see the website at https://my.lactigo.com/rangemagazine

Dear Rachel,

Thanks for taking over the reins after C.J.'s departure. We were gifted RANGE magazine from a friend who farms down the road a few years ago. Since then, I've been gifting subscriptions to family and friends. A lot of positive feedback.

There is a daily radio program called Cross Talk that we listen to. A recent broadcast covered the topic of AI Data centers being built at alarming rates that use copious amounts of electricity and water. A center in Utah was covered in great detail by the guest, Tom DeWeese. I got to listen to a presentation by Tom DeWeese and spent some time afterwards speaking with him. A knowledgeable man who speaks the truth. Stephen Studdert's column in the summer issue of RANGE was very foreboding over water usage. This problem would certainly be compounded by Data Centers. Please share this link to the program with your colleagues, family, and friends.

Keep on for keeping on, Thomas Barna

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