Plowprint Report

The report lays out five policy priorities for North American grasslands, with approaches that work from the individual rancher to the federal level. Highlights include expanding Sodsaver nationwide, reauthorizing and strengthening the Conservation Reserve Program, creating a dedicated program to restore marginal cropland for grazing, and funding the technical assistance that ranchers and Tribes need. It also calls for passing the North American Grasslands Conservation Act and the Indian Buffalo Management Act. Together, these steps would remove incentives that make plowing grassland a rational financial decision and strengthen the programs that help landowners keep grass in grass or restore previously plowed ground.

The need for these solutions is urgent. Grasslands are still being plowed, and the people and wildlife who depend on them continue to be impacted. Younger producers struggle to assume the role of grassland stewards as prohibitively high prices often make rangeland too expensive to purchase or lease. Grassland-dependent birds continue to face the steepest population declines of any group of birds. Pollinators that rely on grasslands, like the Southern Plains bumble bee, have reached endangered status on the IUCN Red List. The Plowprint Report shows where grasslands are being lost, and the choices we make now will determine how many of these vital habitats will exist for future generations. Fortunately, as the policy recommendations highlight, we have the opportunity to make choices and investments that can protect and restore these vital grasslands and support the grassland managers who can keep them healthy.