Ranching and Conservation

Ranchers are stewards of some of the best remaining intact grasslands in the Northern Great Plains, but they face challenges from an increasingly complex environment. Agricultural policies and new technologies incentivize conversion to crop agriculture, and ranching families face economic pressures and the forces of climate change.

In the Northern Great Plains, WWF is partnering with ranchers, recognizing that their land stewardship is a key to keeping grasslands intact. When ranchers manage land for both ecosystem health and healthy communities, we all benefit.

Working with ranchers, cattlemen’s associations and organizations, retailers and food service operators, state and federal agencies, and other organizations, WWF codevelops programs that improve sustainability for both ranching families and grasslands. By keeping ranchers ranching, we can ensure a sustainable future for America’s iconic grasslands