USDA extends emergency CRP grazing in 30 states
US - Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns Friday extended the window for emergency livestock grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for farmers and ranchers who are impacted by drought in 30 states.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 FSA committees and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state technical committees must agree on the need for the emergency grazing extensions before they are finalized. Once approved, producers in the 30 states may graze on CRP land until the following dates:
- Oct. 20, 2006: Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin
- Nov. 10, 2006: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming
- Nov. 30, 2006: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Emergency haying of CRP acreage in these states ends Sept. 30, 2006.
Source: Agriculture Online