ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 10, 2008

TASK FORCE URGES OPENING OF CRP TO GRAZING

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Agricultural Drought Task Force (ADTF) will ask the federal government to immediately open all Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in the state for emergency livestock grazing.

“Task force members believe all CRP acreage in the state should be eligible for grazing by livestock producers able to demonstrate a qualifying need,” said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, who chairs the group.  “Even though precipitation has recently occurred in some areas, it is generally believed that pastures in the hardest hit drought areas will not adequately regenerate and produce sufficient forage to meet this year’s grazing needs.”

Johnson said the task force specifically recommended that all producers in counties that have been designated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as D3-Extreme and in contiguous counties should be immediately eligible for emergency grazing.

Johnson will forward the task force recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer.

“We know about the recently announced CRP Permitted Use for Feed program and we understand that CRP will become available for grazing and haying after the primary nesting season ends Aug. 1,” he said. “Unfortunately, we think that will be too late for many producers in the drought areas of North Dakota.”

Johnson said severe to extreme drought and cool growing conditions have resulted in delayed and poor pasture growth in much of western North Dakota, and that producers in several counties are consequently in immediate need of supplementary livestock grazing forage.

Johnson first summoned the task force on May 14, following Gov. John Hoeven’s declaration of a meeting of statewide early-phase agricultural drought emergency. On the ADTF’s recommendation, the State Water Commission authorized $1 million to implement the Emergency Livestock Water Program.

The ADTF includes representatives from state and federal agencies, farm and ranch organizations and conservation groups.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.