Contact: Shelly Wolf, Outreach & Communication Coordinator

785-564-4765

Manhattan, Kansas, July 20, 2012 --- Adrian J. Polansky, State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Kansas announced today that emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage has been authorized in an additional 13 Kansas Counties. Last week, 91 counties were authorized. Marshall County has not requested to be authorized.

The Kansas FSA State Committee used their authority with the D2 Severe drought designations on the July 17, 2012, U.S. Drought Monitor map to authorize the following counties:

Atchison, Brown, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Doniphan, Elk, Jackson, Labette, Montgomery, Nemaha, Neosho and Wilson.

Emergency haying in approved counties is allowed through August 15, 2012. Participants must leave at least 50 percent of each field or contiguous fields unhayed for wildlife. Hay must be removed from the field within 30 days from end of the haying period. Hay cannot be sold. Producers without livestock may rent or lease the haying privileges.

Emergency grazing in approved counties is allowed through September 30, 2012. Participants shall leave at least 25 percent of each field or contiguous CRP fields ungrazed for wildlife, or graze not more than 75 percent of the stocking rate as set by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. All livestock must be removed by the end of this grazing period. Producers without livestock may rent or lease the grazing privileges.

The Secretary of Agriculture announced on July 11, 2012, the payment reduction cost for Emergency haying and grazing was reduced from 25 percent of the rental payment per acre to 10 percent for the 2012 year.

Emergency haying and grazing is not allowed on the same acreage, and any other approved CRP haying or grazing is not allowed on the same acreage. Practices eligible are CP-1, Establishment of Permanent Introduced Grasses & Legumes, CP-2, Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses, CP4B, Permanent Wildlife Habitat (Corridors), Noneasement, CP4D, Permanent Wildlife Habitat Noneasement, CP10, Vegetative Cover-Grass Already Established, CP18B, Establishment of Permanent Vegetative Cover (Contour Grass Strips), Noneasement, CP18C, Establishment of Permanent Salt Tolerant Vegetative Cover, Non-easement, CP38E, SAFE.

Kansas has been authorized to permit emergency grazing on practice CP-25, Rare and Declining Habitat. Emergency haying is not authorized on practice CP-25.

CRP participants shall contact their local FSA county office to request emergency haying or grazing on an individual contract basis prior to haying or grazing. Participants shall work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to develop a forage management plan. If the CRP cover is destroyed, the practice must be re-established at the participants own expense to remain in compliance with the CRP contract.

Participants accept a 10 percent reduction in the annual rental payment for the acres actually hayed or grazed in 2012. CRP haying and grazing policies will be posted on-line at www.fsa.usda.gov/ks.

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