Institutional Interactions: How Government Programs and Public Lands Grazing Permits Influence Ranchers’ Adaptation to Drought

For ranchers in the U.S., adaptation to drought and climate-related events is not entirely autonomous: it is shaped by the nested institutional context within which ranchers operate, including both formal institutions (e.g. government policies, programs, regulations) and informal institutions (e.g. social norms, social interactions). This study, based on a quantitative survey (n = 450) and in-depth interviews (n = 34), examines Montana ranchers’ perceptions of how government programs and public lands grazing permits influence drought adaptation. Ranchers highlighted inefficiencies and inflexibility in government programs, which hinder long-term adaptation efforts. Additionally, interactions between formal institutions (i.e. program and permit terms and conditions) and informal institutions (i.e. relationships with agency staff, staff’s local knowledge, ranchers’ views on government) influenced the efficacy of government programs and permit implementation on the ground. Our findings underscore the need for more flexible, context-specific, and long-term adaptation support for ranchers operating in dynamic rangeland systems.