Emergency haying and grazing of CRP has been approved for producers in four Panhandle counties: Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux and Dawes County.  In addition, the Farm Service Agency is allowing producers within 210 miles to hay their CRP acres and charge normal custom harvesting rates (swathing, raking, baling, loading, delivering) to producers in the four drought-designated counties.

Nebraska Cattlemen is offering to help match those in need with those who have hayable CRP acres. Producers in either situation can contact the NC office in Alliance at 308-762-3005 or call NC Member Service Committee Chair Scott Reynolds at 308-870-0970. Reynolds has helped a producer near Chadron obtain hay from CRP acres in Custer County.  “The hay was delivered to the Chadron rancher for $55/ton.

Hay quality is generally good because the CRP ground has been hayed in recent years and we have received good rains this year,” Reynolds said. 

According to FSA, eligible program participants must submit emergency haying or grazing applications through their local FSA county offices. Participants who do not own or lease livestock may rent or lease their grazing privileges.

Producers who elect to hay or graze their CRP acres, or allow others to do so because of the emergency, should understand that their annual rental payments would be reduced to 10 percent. Producers participating in normal managed haying and grazing activities on their CRP acreage are subject to a 25 percent reduction in their annual rental payments.

Producers in the affected counties are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency office for details on how to apply for emergency haying and grazing.  Additional information on emergency haying and grazing is also available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/stateoffapp?mystate=ne&area=home&subject=landing&topic=landing

or at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp-eg.

The Nebraska Cattlemen association serves as the representative for the state’s beef cattle industry and represents professional cattle breeders, ranchers and feeders, as well as 48 county and local cattlemen’s associations. Its headquarters are in Lincoln and second office in Alliance serves cattlemen in western Nebraska.