MANHATTAN – Adrian J. Polansky, state executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Kansas announced Friday that emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acreage has been authorized in 91 Kansas Counties, effective Monday.
The Kansas FSA State Committee used their authority with the D2 Severe and D3 Extreme drought designations on U.S. Drought Monitor map to authorize the following counties following the end of the nesting season on July 15:
Allen, Anderson, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Cheyenne, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Decatur, Dickinson, Douglas, Ellsworth, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Gove, Greeley, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Morris, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Woodson and Wyandotte Counties.
Eighteen of these counties were previously approved for Emergency Grazing based upon forty percent loss in moisture and forage.
Emergency haying in approved counties is allowed through Aug. 15. Participants must leave at least 50 percent of each field or contiguous fields unhayed for wildlife. Hay must be removed from the field within 30 days from end of the haying period. Hay cannot be sold. Producers without livestock may rent or lease the haying privileges.
Emergency grazing in approved counties is allowed through September 30, 2012. Participants shall leave at least 25 percent of each field or contiguous CRP fields ungrazed for wildlife, or graze not more than 75 percent of the stocking rate. All livestock must be removed by the end of this grazing period. Producers without livestock may rent or lease the grazing privileges.
The secretary of agriculture announced on July 11, the payment reduction cost for emergency haying and grazing has been reduced from 25 percent of the rental payment per acre to 10 percent for the 2012 year.
Emergency haying and grazing is not allowed on the same acreage, and any other approved CRP haying or grazing is not allowed on the same acreage. Practices eligible are CP-1, Establishment of Permanent Introduced Grasses & Legumes, CP-2, Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses, CP4B, Permanent Wildlife Habitat (Corridors), Noneasement, CP4D, Permanent Wildlife Habitat Noneasement, CP10, Vegetative Cover-Grass Already Established, CP18B, Establishment of Permanent Vegetative Cover (Contour Grass Strips), Noneasement, CP18C, Establishment of Permanent Salt Tolerant Vegetative Cover, Non-easement, CP38E, SAFE.
Kansas has been authorized to permit emergency grazing on practice CP-25, Rare and Declining Habitat. Emergency haying is not authorized on practice CP-25.
CRP participants shall contact the local FSA county office to request emergency haying or grazing on an individual contract basis prior to haying or grazing. Participants shall work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to develop a forage management plan prior to haying or grazing. If the CRP cover is destroyed, the practice must be re-established at their own expense to remain in compliance with the CRP contract.
Participants accept a 10 percent reduction in the annual rental payment for the acres actually hayed or grazed in 2012. CRP haying and grazing policies will be posted on-line at  fsa.usda.gov/ks.