USDA Designates Southern Iowa Counties For CRP Haying and Grazing Use

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has announced that Decatur and Clarke Counties have been authorized for emergency haying and grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program acres for the 2026 fiscal year. A total of 26 counties were approved in the action. Counties are automatically approved when the U.S. Drought Monitor designates those counties D2, or severe drought level, in the U.S. Drought Monitor and are outside of the primary nesting season.

Wayne and Appanoose Counties are among 20 Iowa counties restricted for CRP Emergency Haying Criteria based on the Livestock For age Disaster Program.

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, 2023.

A CRP participant must receive approval for emergency grazing from their local FSA office before any action is taken. The emergency grazing period for those counties will end Sept. 30, 2023.

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

The U.S. Drought Monitor is updated every Thursday and new counties may become eligible for emergency haying and grazing. Participants in newly approved counties will need to sign up at their local FSA offices and get approval prior to completing any haying or grazing activity.