Thune Reacts to CRP Announcement

Press Release

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today reacted to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's announcement that certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in counties designated as "abnormally dry" under the U.S. Drought Monitor would now be eligible for emergency haying and grazing. In an earlier announcement Secretary Vilsack made CRP acres in counties only in moderate, severe, extreme, and exceptional categories eligible. Beginning with a July 10th letter, Senator Thune has been pressuring Secretary Vilsack to use his administrative authority to make applicable land enrolled in CRP available to livestock producers. This latest announcement makes all South Dakota counties, about 550,000 acres, now eligible for CRP emergency haying and grazing after August 1, 2012.

Secretary Vilsack also announced that farmers and ranchers would be allowed to modify current Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts to allow for prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities, water conservation, and other conservation activities to address drought conditions. Additionally, Secretary Vilsack authorized haying and grazing of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easement areas under an expedited Compatible Use Authorization process to allow for haying and grazing.

"Although this announcement makes CRP haying and grazing available in all South Dakota counties, land enrolled in continuous CRP wetlands practices is still unavailable for haying or grazing," said Thune. "I believe Secretary Vilsack should work with all stakeholders, including wildlife and environmental interests, and strike an agreement that would allow a percentage of these CRP acres to be accessed for haying and grazing as well, without fear of a federal lawsuit. Opening access to wetlands and stream buffers could mean up to an additional 445,000 acres in South Dakota enrolled in CRP eligible for haying and grazing."

Earlier this month, Senator Thune wrote Secretary Vilsack asking him to use his discretionary authority to release CRP acres for emergency haying and grazing and to work with him to alleviate the increasing need for hay and grazing in South Dakota due to the ongoing drought conditions.

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