CRP grazing deadline extended

 A two-month extension for emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program acres is being offered.

This flexibility for ranchers marks the latest action by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide assistance to producers impacted by the drought, which has included opening CRP and other conservation acres to emergency haying and grazing, lowering the interest rate for emergency loans, and working with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers.

To assist producers, USDA is permitting farmers and ranchers in drought stricken states that have been approved for emergency grazing to extend grazing on CRP land through Nov. 30, 2012, without incurring an additional CRP rental payment reduction. The period normally allowed for emergency grazing lasts through Sept. 30.

The extension applies to general CRP practices and producers must submit a request to their Farm Service Agency county office  (765-2702) indicating the acreage to be grazed.

LaRue, Nelson, Barren, Hart and Hardin are among the affected counties.