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USDA Authorizes CRP Grazing In 11 Additional Texas Counties

published: June 3rd 2011
source: USDA

(COLLEGE STATION, TX) – June 02, 2011 - In response to drought conditions, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) authorized emergency grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for an additional 11 Texas counties effective immediately. This authorization brings the total to 62 counties approved to graze CRP acres.

Emergency grazing of land enrolled in CRP has been authorized by the Texas FSA State Committee for Bailey, Coleman, Concho, Dallam, Gaines, Gray, Hidalgo, Randall, Runnels, Starr and Terry Counties. Emergency grazing for the above counties has been authorized through August 31, 2011.

The following 51 counties were previously approved for emergency grazing of CRP acres by the national office: Armstrong, Borden, Briscoe, Brown, Carson, Castro, Cochran, Coke, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Jones, Kent, King, Knox, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lynn, Martin, Mitchell, Motley, Nolan, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Roberts, Scurry, Sherman, Stonewall, Swisher, Tom Green, Wheeler, Wilbarger and Yoakum Counties. Emergency grazing for the above counties has been authorized through September 30, 2011.

According to Juan M. Garcia, USDA Texas Farm Service Agency Executive Director grazing end dates differ because the current 11-county approval was granted under a different authority than that of the previously authorized 51 counties.

All current CRP emergency use authorizations permit grazing only. No haying of CRP acres is allowed at this time. Additionally, there will be a 25 percent CRP payment reduction for CRP acres used for grazing under these emergency provisions.

To take advantage of the emergency grazing provisions, authorized producers can use the CRP acreage for their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer the use of the CRP acreage. The eligible CRP acreage is limited to the acreage located within the approved counties.

Eligible producers who are interested in grazing CRP under the emergency authorization and current CRP participants who choose to provide land for grazing to an eligible livestock producer, must first request approval to graze eligible acreage; obtain a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to include grazing requirements, leave at least 25 percent of each field or contiguous CRP field ungrazed for wildlife, or graze not more than 75 percent of the stocking rate as determined by NRCS.

For more information on emergency grazing of CRP acres contact your local FSA office.

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