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Interest in updates to haying and grazing CRP in farm bill

At least two Midwest agriculture directors would like to see adjustments for emergency haying and grazing Conservation Reserve Program acres in the next farm bill.

Minnesota Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen tells Brownfield with the widespread drought, the issue got a lot of attention during the Midwestern Association of State Departments of Agriculture meeting. Petersen is the MASDA president.

“We were honored to have FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux join us. In some ways, his hands are tied with CRP. While we’re trying to be creative on trying to find ways to get cattle out on that CRP to hay and graze it when we can.”

He says there are already updates to haying and grazing CRP acres in the current farm bill, but they focus on non-emergency haying and grazing in and out of the primary nesting season.

Petersen says states should be able to request an emergency authorization to hay or graze CRP acres and he says the primary nesting seasons could be updated due to changes in the climate.

Missouri Ag Director Chris Chinn, the incoming MASDA president, says the state’s farmers would appreciate the option, because forage supplies are getting short in the drought.

“When you go across the state of Missouri and talk to farmers and ranchers they’re thinking this is an emergency. This is about making sure we have feed for our cattle to feed people with and if we have to sell our herds, what does that do to food prices?”

Petersen says Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux also recommended states work with conservation groups to get support to allow early haying and grazing this year. Petersen says Minnesota had success with that tactic in the 2021 drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor says nearly 93% of the Midwest and 59% of the High Plains are experiencing dry conditions.