Why Grazing Permits Have Economic Value

Grazing permit value supposedly arises as a cost advantage for permit holders. Yet, ranches are overpriced relative to income earning potential. Hedonic models for New Mexico and the Great Basin were used to evaluate permit value. We found less than 16% of the marginal value of grazing permits in New Mexico can be attributed to livestock production, and for Great Basin ranches, estimates indicate none of the value can be assigned to livestock production. Deeded and public land acreages make the ranch bigger and it is the acreage, not the cattle grazing it, that adds the most to ranchland value.