April 4, 2022

US senators join farm groups calling for planting on conserved land

Two US senators have joined farm groups and other lawmakers in urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enable farmers to plant on land in spring enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Programme (CRP) without penalty because of Russia's invasion into Ukraine, Reuters reported.

Republican Senators Marco Rubio from Florida and Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming said in a letter to Tom Vilsack, US Agriculture Secretary that allowing farmers to plant on CRP land will stabilise food prices that have soared in the past few months, and to assist farmers meet increased global demand for grains. 

Republican Senator John Boozman from Arkansas also called on the USDA to enable CRP Planting. Boozman is also a Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member.

Vilsack said in a letter to the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) that converting CRP land for crop production is unfeasible and result in a negative long-term outcome for the land and climate.

NGFA and other farm groups have urged Vilsack to enable farmers to plant on CRP land without penalty. The CRP pays farmers to fallow more than 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) of prime farmland under contract for 10 to 15 years.

Some farmers and economists said some CRP land is environmentally sensitive.

Interest in increased planting has also dwindled among farmers because of soaring costs and scarce availability of fertiliser and other materials. Farmers said they will plant only 214,000 acres (86,603 hectares) or 0.1% more than last year in an annual survey of planting intentions.

The European Union has permitted its farmers to plant on fallow land because of the war in Ukraine and has provided aid to assist them.

-      Reuters