The USDA announced changes to the emergency haying and grazing regulations to acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Approval will now be based on drought severity determined by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Producers located in a county designated as severe drought (D2) or higher on or after the last day of the primary nesting season are eligible. Additionally, producers located in counties that were in a severe drought (D2) status any single week during the last eight weeks of the primary nesting season may also be eligible; unless the Farm Service Agency (FSA) determines that forage conditions no longer warrant emergency haying and grazing.
Emergency grazing is authorized for up to 90 days, and emergency haying is approved for up to 60 days. Producers can use the CRP acreage for their livestock or grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage. For emergency haying, producers are limited to one cutting and are permitted to sell the hay.
For more information on CRP emergency haying and grazing, visit fsa.usda.gov/crp or contact your FSA county office.
