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SDFU says wetlands CRP haying/grazing needed

The president of the South Dakota Farmers Union says they’re pleased there will be some relief for producers in the opening of CRP acres for emergency haying which has been granted by the USDA this week for his state, North Dakota and Montana. USDA granted emergency grazing in late June. But, Doug Sombke tells Brownfield, for some producers suffering through the drought, it won’t be enough, “Quite a few of these acres, actually, in South Dakota were hayed already last year. So, in those areas it’s not going to be enough, that’s for sure. Simply because there was barely a crop last year there and now there’s nothing there this year.”

He says there’s more that the USDA can do, “There IS availability also if we can get the Secretary (Sonny Perdue) to release the haying and grazing of Wetlands CRP. There’s a difference because the conservation groups, of course, are concerned about nesting of wildlife.”

Sombke says he expects the request will be granted but not until after August 1st.  In the meantime, he says his group is working with other state Farmers Union groups in Wisconsin and Missouri and other states to get forage delivered to drought stricken areas.

Sombke urges farmers and ranchers to keep their wits about them and hold on – saying calls to help hotlines are extremely high.