CRP Grazing Comes to the Aid of Drought-Stricken Ranchers

Washington, D.C. (June 24, 2004) – In a move to aid livestock producers hurt by drought, USDA announced today that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres can be used for emergency grazing.  

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), as recently as this month, wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman asking her to ensure USDA’s Drought Coordinating Council is engaged in issues affecting America’s cattlemen.  NCBA specifically requested that state Farm Service agencies immediately be granted the authority to allow grazing on certain CRP lands. 

“Allowing CRP grazing gives cattlemen the additional flexibility to stretch available forage sources during a drought,” says Jan Lyons, Kansas cattle producer and NCBA president.  “This will enable folks out in cattle country to better utilize all of their available grazing options for the remainder of the year.” 

Producers, particularly in the western half of the country, continue to be impacted by severe drought. In addition, managed haying on CRP acres is allowed under certain conditions. USDA has a Web site for producers to list information concerning the need for hay or the availability of hay for sale. The address for USDA’s Hay Net Web site is: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet/

Today’s announcement authorizes emergency grazing (including grazing during the nesting season) of CRP acreage, in eligible counties only, until Sept. 30, 2004.  To be eligible, a county must have suffered at least a 40-percent deviation from normal precipitation, or be at a D3 or D4 level for drought as rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“Cattlemen are grateful to the USDA for recognizing the hardships of dry conditions being faced by ranchers – especially those who have been dealing with on-going drought for years,” says Lyons.  “This can hopefully help ease some of the pain out there in the countryside.”

USDA offers additional programs to help farmers and ranchers recover from drought and other natural disasters.  More information on these programs is available at local FSA offices and online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.