Wildfires can create immediate forage shortages for livestock producers. One USDA tool that may help address these shortages is emergency haying and grazing authority on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.
What is CRP?
CRP is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural producers and landowners to convert highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as native grasses, trees, and riparian buffers. In return, participants receive annual rental payments. During times of disaster, however, USDA may authorize emergency haying and grazing of CRP-enrolled acres to help livestock producers access additional forage.
Emergency Haying and Grazing
In response to recent wildfires, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has expanded this authority by allowing CRP participants in all counties of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming to donate grazing rights or haying authority to livestock producers affected by the fires.
These provisions may allow producers to graze livestock or harvest hay from eligible CRP land under specified conditions. For landowners with CRP contracts, payments will not be reduced for allowing haying or grazing on eligible acres for affected producers.
Work with Your Local FSA Office
Contact your local FSA office before taking any action on CRP acres. USDA staff can help producers and CRP contract holders determine eligibility, identify required documentation, and complete necessary forms. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will work with CRP contract holders to update the CRP conservation plan.
Please note that FSA cannot share information on who has CRP to donate due to privacy rules.
This Nebraska Recovery Roundup is brought to you by Nebraska Extension and the Center for Agricultural Profitability to provide timely information for producers and communities recovering from wildfire. Each installment highlights available resources and practical steps to support recovery. Follow the series and find wildfire recovery resources on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website, https://cap.unl.edu/recovery.
