Public Lands Grazing: Massive subsidies, wealth concentration, and mounting environmental costs
ProPublica and High Country News document a taxpayer-supported public-lands grazing system where 2024 fees run ~93% below private-market rates, subsidies exceed $2.5 billion, and wealth is concentrated among a small group of permittees, even as tens of millions of acres show environmental degradation and oversight has weakened amid political influence and a push to expand subsidies.