Additional Iowa Counties Authorized For Emergency Haying And Grazing Of CRP Land

The USDA has authorized additional Iowa counties for Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program land.

An additional 39 counties have been been authorized for haying and grazing in the state. The additional county list includes Ringgold, Taylor, Warren, Clarke, and Union Counties.

Counties are automatically approved for CRP emergency haying and grazing when they reach the D2 (severe drought) level on the U.S. Drought Monitor and are outside of the primary nesting season of May 15th through August 1st. Additionally, the 2018 farm bill also authorized counties with a documented 40-percent loss of forage production to be eligible for emergency haying and grazing. Local FSA County Committees can review forge loss data and make a recommendation to the Iowa FSA State Committee to authorize emergency haying and grazing.

A CRP participant must receive approval for emergency haying from their county FSA Office before any action is taken. The emergency haying authorizations end on August 31, 2022.

A CRP participant must receive approval for emergency grazing from their local FSA office before any action is taken. The emergency grazing period for these counties will end Sept. 30, 2022.

CRP participants are eligible to seek approval for either emergency haying or emergency grazing but cannot do both on the same acres.