Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it would be releasing Conservation Reserve Program acres for haying in counties designated as Presidential Disaster Areas because of flooding. Emergency grazing was approved on July 7, 2008.
The Iowa congressional delegation yesterday asked Agriculture Department Secretary Ed Schafer to authorize emergency haying on CRP acres.
Here is Grassley’s comment, followed by the letter to Schafer.
"I've heard from a lot of farmers who are struggling to find hay for the upcoming months and through the winter. I’m glad that the Department of Agriculture recognized that the flooding disaster in Iowa has been just as devastating for our livestock producers as it has in states impacted by drought."
August 5, 2008
The Honorable Ed Schafer
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building
Washington, DC 20250
Dear Secretary Schafer:
We want to express our appreciation for your efforts to address the critical need for feed in areas affected by this summer's floods, through your authorization on July 7 for emergency grazing on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and to urge you to expand this authority to allow producers to harvest hay as well.
The emergency release of CRP acres for grazing allowed many producers needed access to their CRP land, and helped reduce the demand for other sources of feed. However, many producers in disaster areas cannot make use of the grazing authority. Their CRP land may not have fencing or watering facilities that would make grazing practical, and the time and cost involved in creating this infrastructure would be excessive. For these producers, access to hay harvest on CRP is the most practicable way for their livestock to benefit from hay on CRP acres, or for the hay to enhance supplies of for feed. Especially in light of the decision to provide for emergency grazing and haying for areas affected by drought, it is imperative that producers in areas affected by excessive rain and flooding be extended this option.
We therefore urge that you immediately announce the release of CRP acres in the disaster counties for which grazing was authorized July 7. To maintain the quality of the
Hay, it is imperative that this land be released as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
