Farmers Seek Immediate Relief on Conservation Land

Iowa’s flood disaster is causing some to call for the release of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for haying and grazing.Iowa currently has approximately 1.8 million acres of land enrolled in the program. When enrolled in the program, land owners sign 10- to 15-year contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and agree to leave the acres out of production. The farmers receive a payment from the government, and the program protects environmentally sensitive land and provides wildlife habitat. But CRP acres can be opened up for production when deemed necessary by the USDA.

Now that there is a serious shortage of livestock feed in the market due to terrible weather this year, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Lang is calling for an immediate release of all CRP acres in Iowa.

Lang spoke about CRP Saturday at a tour of a flooded farm in Marion County, where Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey were visiting with area farmers about the disastrous floods.

“Because we’ve lost about 16 percent of our forage ground in Iowa because of flooding, and also because of this impact that we’re going to see to the livestock industry with higher grain prices and lack of forage availability, Farm Bureau sent a letter to [U.S. Secretary of Agriculture] Schafer on Wednesday asking for immediate release of CRP for haying and grazing,” said Lang.

Many livestock producers are currently operating at a loss due to the high price of feed.

Livestock feed prices have shot to record levels in recent weeks because an estimated 10 percent of Iowa’s corn crop and 20 percent of the soybean crop was either flooded or never even planted. Acres that were planted late or replanted after flooding won’t produce normal yields, and it all adds up to a shortage of livestock feed.

Prices for meat at the grocery store are actually expected to drop in the coming months as many major livestock producers are selling off their herds because of the high price of feed. This situation is expected to cause a temporary abundance of meat products, followed by a shortage that could then send grocery bills sky-high.

Recognizing the problem earlier this year, the USDA had announced a release of all CRP acres for haying and grazing that would begin on Aug. 2. The Aug. 2 date was chosen because it would allow the primary nesting season for birds to reach its full potential.

Any farmer who has land enrolled in CRP will be required to pay a $75 fee to be able to cut hay or use it for pasture, but they will not receive any reduction of their regular CRP program payments.

The land can’t be mowed for hay or grazed if it is in wetlands or filter strips along streams and ponds. These types of lands are usually part of the Continuous CRP program and are not included in the release.

But Aug. 2 is too late in the year to provide much high-quality livestock feed. “This would really make a big difference here in southern Iowa, but it needs to be done now,” said Max Smith, a southern Iowa farmer and grain elevator operator. “But if you wait a month, that quality of hay won’t be very good.”

The USDA has also released CRP acres for grazing-only in certain counties that have been declared disaster areas, but Lang said the entire state’s CRP acres need to be opened up now for hay and grazing to release pressure on livestock feed markets.

“So you’re saying we should just move the Aug. 2 date up to now?” asked Harkin.

Lang said “yes” and the room full of farmers nodded their heads.

“Well, let’s see if we can get this done right away,” Harkin replied.