September 18, 2006

 

USDA extends emergency CRP grazing in thirty states

 

 

US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Friday (Sep 15) extended the window for emergency livestock grazing on Conservation Reserve Programme (CRP) acres for farmers and ranchers in 30 states affected by drought, according to a USDA release.

 

The CRP rents ecologically fragile land from farmers for 10-year periods and takes it out of production. Farmers often plant grass on this land to hold the soil. The traditional deadline for emergency grazing on CRP acres is Sep 30.

 

The 30 eligible states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

 

State Farm Service Agency committees and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service state technical committees must agree on the need for the emergency grazing extensions before they are finalised, the release said. Once approved, producers in the 30 states may graze on CRP land until the following dates, although emergency haying must end Sep 30.

 

Oct 20 for Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin;

 

Nov 10 for Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming;

 

Nov 30 for Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

 

In mid-July, USDA announced the expansion of eligible CRP acreage for emergency grazing and haying in Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. The expanded area radiates 150 miles out from any county approved for emergency haying and grazing in any above-mentioned state, the release said.

 

Additionally, the USDA announced that CRP rental payments will be reduced by only 10 percent instead of the standard 25 percent on CRP lands that are grazed in 2006.

 

The USDA may allow producers to graze or hay on CRP acreage under certain conditions such as during times of drought or other natural disasters, the release said. Farmers and ranchers may graze no more than 75 percent of the normal number of cattle.

 

They also may only graze 75 percent of a field or contiguous field that is enrolled for wildlife habitat, the release said.

 

The USDA said it has other programmes available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the emergency conservation programme, emergency loans and federal crop insurance.