Floyd County CRP Land (Credit - Street Real Estate: https://www.streetsrealestate.com/FloydCo317acresMountains/photos.html)
The following was provided by the Floyd County FSA office
FLOYDADA – Agricultural producers impacted by drought can now request emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in Floyd county, while still receiving their full rental payment for the land.
Producers must request approval from the Floyd County Farm Service Agency before starting any haying and grazing activities. Before the request is approved, the producer must also have their conservation plan modified by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with any emergency haying and grazing provisions.
Conservation Plan Provisions
CRP emergency haying and grazing is available in eligible counties as long as the stand is in condition to support such activity subject to a modified conservation plan. Hay may be cut once in eligible counties each program year (October 1-September 30). Haying must be concluded prior to March 1 to allow time for regrowth prior to winter conditions and hay must be removed within 15 calendar days of being baled.
CRP emergency grazing is available in eligible counties as long as it does not exceed 90 days each program year (October 1-September 30) and must be stopped when the minimum grazing height is reached, as established within the modified CRP conservation plan or when the county is no longer eligible for emergency haying and grazing. Emergency grazing must be completed by March 1.
Emergency grazing during the Primary Nesting Season can be approved if payments are authorized under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the conservation plan is modified to incorporate the 50 percent of normal carrying capacity, and approved prior to grazing.
Eligibility
Producers located in a county that is designated as severe drought (D2) or greater on or after the last day of the primary nesting season are eligible for emergency haying and grazing on all eligible acres. 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 for emergency haying and grazing unless the FSA County Committee determines that forage conditions no longer warrant emergency haying and grazing.
Counties that trigger for LFP payments based on the U.S. Drought Monitor may hay only certain practices on less than 50% of eligible contract acres. Producers should contact their local FSA county office for eligible CRP practices.
Producers who don’t meet the drought monitor qualifications but have a 40% loss of forage production may also be eligible for emergency haying and grazing outside of the primary nesting season.
General Provisions
CRP participants cannot hay and graze the same acreage in a program year.
Producers can use the CRP acreage under the emergency grazing provisions for their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage. The eligible CRP acreage is limited to acres located within the approved county. There will be no CRP annual rental payment reduction for emergency haying and grazing authorizations.
More Information
For more information or to request approval for emergency haying or grazing use of CRP acres, contact the Floyd County FSA office at 806-983-3763 or visit farmers.gov.
