USDA has granted a request to allow emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program or CRP acres beginning July 16. These acres are typically not available until August 1. The authorization includes any county with any part of its border that is located within 150 miles of a county that has been approved for emergency CRP haying. No CRP rental payment will be assessed either.

South Dakota Stockgrowers Executive Director Silvia Christen says they’re thankful Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue was so quick to respond.

This follows USDA’s announcement that counties in extreme drought on the Drought Monitor were eligible for the Livestock Forage Program. However, Christen says so far the use of that program has been limited.

Christen says producers have been buying feed and neighbors have been helping each other with hay and water resources. However, they are challenged as the drought lingers.

The state’s Congressional delegation is still working with USDA to make nearly 500,000 CRP acres in South Dakota categorized as “environmentally sensitive” available for emergency haying and grazing.

On June 29, USDA also approved a recommendation to reverse an earlier decision that would have forced ranchers to destroy useable hay on CRP-enrolled acres that are subject to CRP mid-contract management. Producers can now use that hay for feed.