North Dakota Asks for CRP Grazing Rights

BISMARCK – Jun 9/04 - SNS -- Drought in southwest and south central North Dakota has reached the stage where the federal government needs to allow grazing and haying on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, argues Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson.

"In the face of growing concerns over dry conditions and in the likelihood counties will reach designated drought thresholds, I request the opening of Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing," Johnson said in a letter to Gary Nelson, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

"I also urge FSA to allow producers in non-drought counties to donate their haying and grazing privilege, with no reduction in CRP payments, to eligible producers from drought-stricken counties," he said.

North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network data shows that most of the southwestern and south central parts of the state are 25% to 50% short of normal precipitation. The June 7, 2004 "North Dakota Crop, Livestock and Weather Report" reflects deteriorating pasture and rangeland conditions in those areas.

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