Agricultural News
Thirty Two Oklahoma Counties Receive Extension of Emergency CRP Grazing Out Until Halloween
Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:16:51 CDT
Francie Tolle, executive director of the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA), announced that USDA will extend the emergency grazing period to October 31, 2011 for the thirty-two counties in Oklahoma that have been approved for emergency grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres due to the extreme drought conditions.
The approved counties are: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Cimarron, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Jefferson, Kay, Kiowa, Logan, Major, McCurtain, Osage, Roger Mills, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Washita, Woods, and Woodward.
"Most areas of Oklahoma are experiencing extreme drought conditions that are causing crop failure and the dispersal of livestock herds," said Tolle. "Many ranchers have been or will be forced to sell livestock due to drought and USDA is committed to doing what we can to help our farmers and ranchers during these challenging times."
The period normally allowed for emergency grazing lasts through Sept. 30, 2011. FSA is permitting farmers and ranchers in drought stricken states who have been approved for emergency grazing, including those in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, to extend the emergency grazing period to Oct. 31, 2011, without an additional payment reduction. Eligible producers who are interested in grazing CRP need to first contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to sign appropriate paperwork before any grazing may begin.
As an additional option designed to help livestock producers, FSA will allow producers nationwide to utilize harvested hay from expiring CRP acres when those acres are being prepared for fall seeded crops. Prior to this modification, all mechanically harvested hay was required to be destroyed. This change enables livestock producers to feed the hay that is mechanically harvested to their own livestock or to sell or donate hay. Consistent with existing policy for managed or emergency haying and grazing of eligible CRP acres, rental payments will be reduced by 25 percent for those utilizing this option.
For more information on emergency grazing of CRP acres contact your local FSA office or visit us online at www.fsa.usda.gov/ok, which can be found by clicking here.
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