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Sen. Moran calls for stronger CRP flexibility to address drought, wildfire risks

A U.S. Senator from Kansas says lawmakers need to bolster the Conservation Reserve Program.

During a Senate Ag Committee hearing on Wednesday, Jerry Moran said producers need improved access to grazing in response to drought and other weather-related disaster events.

“I always have known the importance of haying and grazing CRP ground in a drought and the need for feed for cattle,” he said. “But the other component of that is CRP ground needs to be at least grazed to keep it from becoming the source of the fire that kills the cattle or destroys their feed.”

Moran is a sponsor of the CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act, which would allow emergency haying and grazing on CRP acres when certain conditions are met.

“And I hope we understand that it can be a part of the farm bill as we markup that important piece of legislation,” Moran said.

Testifying before the committee, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins agreed with Moran that there’s a significant opportunity in CRP to better manage the environment to reduce the chances of wildfires.

“When you look at trying to rebuild the herd,  then we need that land to get more cattle on,” Rollins said.

Moran says large grassland fires have recently burned tens of thousands of acres across the state, leading to a number of cattle losses.