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Resources provided due to ongoing drought conditions

The Farm Service Agency is providing relief to producers facing drought conditions.

The U.S. Drought Monitor says over 99% of Missouri is experiencing some kind of dryness. With 25% of the state experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, government agencies have started to act.

At the latest meeting of the state’s Drought Assessment Committee Agriculture Impact Team, Jeremy Mosley with the Farm Service Agency says Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land has been released for emergency haying and grazing.

“As of the 15th CRP haying and grazing has opened up across the state. any county that hits D2 automatically becomes eligible for emergency haying and grazing in CRP.”

He says that the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) is also open to producers.

“We have 58 counties that are now open for the livestock forage program. Last year we put out 149 million dollars in the state of Missouri and we’ve already paid out 18 million this year.”

Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn says more resources are available online.

“On the Department of Ag’s website at agriculture.mo.gov, we have a banner, and it is the very first things as you go to our website. You click on that and it takes you directly to the DNR’s site with all of the drought information on it.”

The committee will meet again on July 25^th to further discuss conditions in the state.