In a major development for family farmers and ranchers across the country, the Trump Administration has officially dropped federal criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude, a fifth-generation ranching couple from South Dakota. The charges stemmed from a disputed 25-acre parcel along the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, which the Maudes have managed near their family’s cattle and hog operation since the early 1900s.
The case, originally prosecuted under the Biden Administration, accused the Maudes of “theft of federal property” related to a fencing issue. Despite initially cooperating with the U.S. Forest Service to survey boundary lines, the family found themselves facing separate indictments, massive legal fees, and possible prison sentences of up to 10 years each.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins called the prosecution “a politically motivated witch hunt” and reaffirmed President Trump’s commitment to ending what she called “government regulation by prosecution.” She added, “The Maudes are not criminals. They are hardworking ranchers who nearly lost everything over an aggressive and unnecessary legal campaign.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi echoed that message, stating, “This Department of Justice will focus on real criminals — not families trying to make a living off the land.”
Industry leaders praised the reversal. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC), who had supported the Maudes throughout the ordeal, commended the administration’s action. NCBA President Buck Wehrbein said, “The targeted prosecution of the Maude family was way out of line. No rancher should live in fear of being treated like a criminal for doing their job.”
PLC President Tim Canterbury highlighted the erosion of trust caused by the case. “When federal agencies view ranchers as enemies, it threatens the collaboration our system relies on,” he said.
The Maude family is scheduled to hold a press conference in Washington, D.C. on April 30 to share their experience and discuss the Trump Administration’s broader efforts to limit regulatory overreach in agriculture.
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Northern Ag Network, USDA, NCBA & PLC – 2025
