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(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman today called on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to allow Nebraska agricultural producers to hay and graze livestock on land voluntarily enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Recent high temperatures and winds have damaged Nebraska's winter wheat crop and have affected key grazing lands, particularly in the central and western parts of the state. The Governor's request argues that releasing CRP acres would provide additional options for livestock producers struggling to find suitable pasture lands and sources of hay.
The Governor wrote, "Hot and dry conditions have arrived early in Nebraska this year and have intensified drought conditions in the western half of our state ... I urge you to release CRP acres to emergency livestock grazing and haying in Nebraska counties experiencing these drought conditions … as well as in contiguous counties.
"I know you recognize the value that CRP acres can bring to livestock producers facing the hardships caused by drought … Releasing these acres will provide Nebraska producers a valuable option as we move forward."
CRP is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners. Farmers and ranchers can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance for establishing long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland. CRP rules under the current federal farm bill allow managed grazing and haying of CRP lands after July 15. A release or waiver is required to permit either action before the July deadline. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nebraska has more than 1.2 million acres of CRP land.
"In talking with producers, I've heard concerns that current pasture forage has already been affected by the hot, dry conditions persisting in the central and western parts of the state," Gov. Heineman said. "There is a concern that the quality of grazing land will continue to deteriorate as the summer heat intensifies, and our ranchers need this flexibility."
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