By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The USDA hopes to provide additional feed sources by opening certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage to haying or grazing, according to an official with the state FSA office.

“Because of drought conditions in parts of the country, and the cold spring, there’s already a shortage of hay and grasses in some areas,” said Gail Peas, conservation program specialist with the Indiana FSA office. “This will provide additional feed sources by allowing this land to be used.

“The cost of feed is also an issue, because if you don’t have the hay, you’re forced to feed grain, and that’s more costly as well.”
Under the critical feed use modification, not all CRP land may be used, Peas said. Only lands devoted to certain practices, such as establishment of permanent introduced grasses and legumes, or establishment of permanent native grasses, are eligible, she said.
Land owners could begin requesting changes to their CRP contracts June 2, but no land modifications may take place before August 1, the end of primary bird nesting season in the state, she said.
Signup, and the ability to hay and graze, expires Nov. 10. Approval must be granted by FSA before any changes in land use are made, or land owners are in violation of their CRP contracts, said Faye Brown, agricultural program specialist with the Kentucky FSA.
“They must have a signed, approved plan before they can do anything,” she said. “We want to do all that we can to avoid anyone having a violation.”

Kentucky landowners have shown some interest in the program, but at the moment in the state, hay seems to be fairly abundant, she said. “The CRP land was opened because of drought conditions last year nationwide,” Brown said. “But we’ve had a lot of rain in Kentucky and I’m not sure now how much we’d use it. But by the end of July, if we do get drought conditions, we’ll know better what kind of interest there will be.”

This year’s program allows producers to sell their rights to graze or hay to anyone, potentially allowing for some hay to be taken out of Indiana, Peas said.

“The USDA wants to see more hay on the market,” Peas said. “Our need for hay and grazing isn’t as critical in Indiana as it is when you get into the southern U.S. They’re really hurting for hay in some areas. But this should increase the flow of hay and grazing land in the market.”

Land owners may use only already established approved cover, she said.

The program has several restrictions, as the most environmentally sensitive CRP land is ineligible. Also, no more than 50 percent of eligible CRP land may be used for haying, and no more than 75 percent for grazing.

Participation in the critical feed use program will not affect contract payments, but producers must pay a $75 fee to modify their CRP contract, Peas said. Producers and landowners need to contact their local FSA offices before modifying any land in CRP, Brown said.