BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum applauded today’s decision by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue authorizing emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands to assist livestock producers in drought-stricken areas of North Dakota.
“We are deeply grateful to Secretary Perdue for his quick response in making this resource available to help our ranchers through these difficult times,” said Burgum, who sent a letter Thursday asking Perdue to immediately release CRP lands for emergency haying. “I also want to thank North Dakota’s congressional delegation, state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and farm groups for pushing to have these CRP acres released to provide much-needed relief for our livestock producers.”
Perdue authorized emergency grazing on CRP acreage in drought-affected areas of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana to begin immediately and extend through Sept. 30 unless conditions improve.
Producers are advised to check with their county Farm Service Agency office to confirm that their CRP acres are eligible for emergency haying.
The USDA’s announcement is posted online at https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2017/06/23/usda-authorizes-emergency-grazing-drought-stricken-montana-north