Far From Home on the Range, Foreign Herders See a Rules Overhaul

A small industry with an iconic place in American history is set to see federal rules tightened for foreign workers beginning next year.

Once evocative of cowboys and the old West, open range herding occupations have come to rely on guest workers from outside the U.S. holding temporary visas.

“You may not see another human being for a week or more. You’re pushing 3,000 animals at a time. It’s astounding labor,” said Thomas Acker, a professor at Colorado Mesa State University. “You just can’t find people in this country who will do that.”

Foreign workers’ status under the H-2A ...