July 17, 2002

NDSU Economist Highlights Emergency Haying and Grazing Programs

Recently the USDA has made available two sources of hay and grazing to livestock producers in need of feed in North Dakota. In addition, the state of North Dakota also released some additional acres for haying.

As of July 15, most larger tracts of Conservation Reserve Program acres in the state are available for either haying or grazing until Aug. 31, according to Dwight Aakre, farm management specialist with the NDSU Extension Service. Some contracts, generally involving small acreage, are not available for emergency feed use. "Contract holders must contact their county Farm Service Agency office to determine if emergency haying or grazing is permitted on their CRP contract acres," Aakre notes.

The applications to hay or graze CRP acres in the 16 designated drought disaster counties that were signed prior to the opening of CRP statewide included a stipulation that the CRP payment would be reduced by 25 percent on the actual acres hayed or grazed. "Applications completed since July 15 will not require a 25 percent CRP payment reduction if the hay or grass is donated to a livestock producer in need," Aakre says. "Hay may be sold, but in those cases the 25 percent payment reduction will apply and the buyer, who must be a livestock producer, must be identified at the time the application is made. The buyer may not resell the hay."

USDA has also authorized emergency haying and limited grazing for Water Bank Program (WBP) contract holders. Haying is authorized until Aug. 31. "Water Bank Program contract payments will be reduced by 25 percent to account for the areas hayed unless the hay is donated," Aakre says. Grazing requests will require a revision of the WBP contract. Payment reductions and other limitations may also apply. Livestock operators should submit applications to their local Natural Resources Conservation Office.

In addition to CRP acres, the North Dakota Department of Transportation has opened the "no-mow" areas on the state highway system for haying as of July 15. There are more than 8,000 acres of designated "no-mow" land on 363 miles of North Dakota highways. The predominant "no-mow" areas are on U.S. Highways 52 and 2. Information on the location and haying of "no-mow" areas can be obtained from any NDDOT district office.

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Source: Dwight Aakre, (701) 231-7378, daakre@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu