With much of the state of Iowa in drought conditions Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and other Iowa lawmakers have been making the push for weeks for emergency haying and grazing on CRP land (Conservation Reserve Program) in the state of Iowa. Grassley says that request has been granted by the USDA.
Counties are automatically approved for CRP emergency haying and grazing when they reach the D2 (severe drought) level on the U.S. Drought Monitor and are outside of the primary nesting season (May 15th through August 1st).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that 46 Iowa Counties are now authorized for emergency haying or grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for fiscal year 2023. The 26 counties approved for emergency haying or grazing include: Allamakee, Audubon, Benton, Buena Vista, Carroll, Cedar, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Crawford, Decatur, Des Moines, Fremont, Henry, Humboldt, Ida, Jones, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Page, Pocahontas, Sac, Shelby, and Washington.
With 20 Iowa Counties restricted under Emergency Haying Criteria Based on Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) authorization: Appanoose, Cass, Davis, Harrison, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Lucas, Lyon, Mahaska, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Van Buren, Wapello, Wayne, Woodbury.
Senator Grassley also provided an update on Tuesday on the status of his Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The bill aims to help independent cattle producers get a fair market price for their cattle and was introduced alongside Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). However, the bill might have hit a roadblock says Senator Grassley.
Grassley says that even without Senator Fischer’s support for including the act in the Farm Bill, there is a backup plan to try and get the legislation passed.
Editor’s note: A spokesperson for the office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) offers this comment to the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network as a follow-up to Senator Grassley’s statements on the status of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.
“Sen. Fischer is committed to getting her cattle market reform bill done. We’re also focused on getting the Farm Bill passed. Strategically, the best path forward to getting Fischer’s cattle bill signed into law is as a separate legislative effort. In the Senate, given the vast, bipartisan support for the bill, Sen. Schumer should give the legislation a vote on the floor this fall.”
Senator Grassley made his comments Tuesday morning during his weekly conference call with ag broadcasters and reporters.
