MSU Receives $1.5 Million to Study Grazing
Montana State University researchers will study adaptive grazing practices on ranches statewide through 2029.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Agriculture
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Should Montana ranchers be encouraged to adopt grazing methods that protect land health?
Montana State University researchers received a $1.5 million grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation through its Ranchland Stewardship Program to study adaptive grazing management with ranches across the state. The project began in fall 2026 and runs through 2029.
Why it matters
The study examines how grazing practices affect livestock, vegetation, and soil, information that bears directly on how Montana ranches manage working land. Findings could help identify practices that keep land healthy while supporting productive ranching operations.
The $1.5 million grant funds three graduate students and one postdoctoral researcher working with 10 to 15 Montana ranches already using adaptive grazing approaches. Study outcomes will not be known until fieldwork in 2027 and 2028 is complete and analyzed.
The players
Montana State University
A public research university in Bozeman, Montana, known for its agricultural and natural resources research programs.
Noah Davis
An assistant professor of grazing ecology and management at Montana State University who leads the study.
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
The Montana state agency that administers land management and conservation programs, including the Ranchland Stewardship Program that funded the grant.
The details
Noah Davis, an assistant professor of grazing ecology and management, leads the project, which will document stocking rates, stocking density, and livestock weight gain. Researchers will use satellite imagery and drones to assess pasture conditions and rely on existing ranching organization relationships to identify participating operations.
Timeline
Fall 2026: Project began.
2027 and 2028: Planned fieldwork period.
2029: Project scheduled to conclude.
Market Landscape
The grant is administered through the Ranchland Stewardship Program of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, extending the state's support for working-land conservation into grazing research. The project positions Montana ranching practices within a growing body of work on how grazing affects land health and productivity.
The study is intended to inform grazing decisions on Montana ranches, which could shape practices that affect livestock productivity and land conditions. Results will not be available until after fieldwork in 2027 and 2028 is complete.
The takeaway
Ranchers interested in adaptive grazing can watch for the study's findings on stocking rates and soil health once fieldwork concludes in 2028.
Further reading
Explore more on Agriculture in Montana.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Inter Lake.
Live Poll
Should Montana ranchers be encouraged to adopt grazing methods that protect land health?
