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South Dakota’s Dusty Johnson wants grazing date pushed up

Congressman Dusty Johnson wants farmers to be allowed to graze cover crops on prevent plant acres before November first, the date now allowed under crop insurance rules.

“So much of the nutritional quality has waned, has deteriorated that late into the year,” said Johnson (R-SD), during a conference call with reporters. “If we’re going to be able to put food in the bellies of livestock, we need Congress to be able to change that November first date.”

Rules stipulate that acres claimed as prevent plant cannot be grazed by livestock until after November first. Johnson says the number of acres that won’t be producing because of the wet spring will leave livestock producers short on feed.

Congressman Johnson is having conversations with USDA’s Risk Management Agency about adjusting the date.

“We are in an emergency situation,” he said, “and I think we need to be pushing for producers to have flexibility to turn the cattle into those fields well before November first.”