Considering all the lands in the US, 59% are privately owned, 6% are owned by state and local governments, 2% are tribally owned, and 33% are Federally owned. The land of the US is varied and vast and naturally the plant species suited for the many climates and topographies differ. There are some species that can be grown in most states but there are many forages that grow in certain regions of the country. The main regions in the US are: the West, Southeast, Northeast, Corn Belt, and the Lake States.

There are certain distinctions that need to be clarified before discussing the forages of the West. The word "range" is a common western term but uncommon in the east. Range is land supporting indigenous vegetation that is grazed or has the potential to be grazed, and is managed as a natural ecosystem. Range can include forestland and rangeland. Rangeland is land on which the indigenous vegetation is predominently grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, or shrubs and is managed as a natural ecosystem. Introduced plants are managed like indigenous species. With these definitions in mind, other regions will have range and rangeland besides the West.

The West has millions of acres in 19 states that are considered rangeland. Some calculations list 53% of the West as rangeland. Much of the rangeland is dry and production is low, but it would be foolish not to wisely manage 815 million acres (330 million hectares). Parts of the Pacific Northwest, however, receive lots of rainfall and can produce an abundance of high-quality forage. Wildlife and the environment benefit from attention paid to rangeland forage production. Due to various conservation efforts, 54% of the range in the West is federally owned. About 25% is forest land that grows forage and could benefit grazing animals. So the West has great potential, but specific difficulties, like who can graze the federally-owned land and at what price, cause continued disputes and inefficient utilization. The variance of precipitation from 3-40 inches (7.6-101.6 centimeters) coupled with evaporation and transpiration of 20-150 inches (50.8-381 centimeters) per year causes quite a variety of possible species. Yields vary widely due to geophysical and management inputs. The most common management practice is varying the number of livestock on the land. But applying plant growth and regrowth principles and fencing options could be very helpful.

The Southeast, from Florida to Kentucky, is largely privately owned. It contains native pasture, improved pasture, and, with the above definition, open rangeland and forested rangeland. The humid conditions allow for more forage per acre production than the West. Certain areas like Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia are very productive. Other areas require more supplements to support a herd. With proper management, the Southeast could be much more productive.

The Northeast, consisting of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Delaware, has pasture, forest, and range. This 7 million acres (2.8 million hectares) has some serious limitations and restrictions due to slope and elevation. Livestock operations are important to the region. Forests and animals can benefit from allowing livestock to graze within the forest. Wise forage production in the Northeast would greatly benefit the land utilization.

The Corn Belt states are Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. This region is well-known for crop production. But forages should play an important role in sustaining the health of the soil where crops deplete nutrients or erosion is a difficulty.

The Lake States region consists of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Forages play an active role in dairies and other livestock systems of the region but can be even more productive.