News Releases for June 2008
June 26, 2008
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Hoeven Commends USDA For Opening CRP Land To Grazing For Producers In “Extreme” Drought Category
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Sec. Ed Schafer for approving the opening of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres to emergency grazing for livestock producers in 26 North Dakota counties.
Hoeven made the request to open CRP acres to Sec. Schafer in letter earlier this month based on the recommendation of the Agriculture Working Group of the Drought Task Force. Last week while in Washington, D.C. Hoeven again asked Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner to consider the move. These counties, or parts thereof, have been designated D-3, or severe, on the U.S. Drought Monitor.
These include Adams, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burk, Divide, Dunn, Grant Golden Valley, Hettinger, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Sheridan, Slope, Stark, Towner, Ward, and Williams.
Producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) to file a written request, obtain a grazing plan and receive authorization in writing. Emergency grazing is only authorized in the approved counties by livestock producers from the approved counties. The payment reduction is 25 percent of the annual rental payment.
“While recent rainfall has helped to alleviate the problem, livestock producers indicate that forage supplies have suffered as a result of the extreme dry conditions earlier in the year,” Hoeven said. “We appreciate Secretary Schafer’s decision to move expeditiously on our request and help producers who have access to CRP to graze.”
Little snowfall cover over the winter, and minimal precipitation during the spring, left some areas of the state abnormally dry. Despite recent rainfalls, pasture land continues to run behind the season, causing hardship for producers in some parts of the state.
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