Emergency CRP use approved for certain Kansas counties through April 15

Emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres has been approved for 19 Kansas counties due to severe drought. An additional five counties have been approved for emergency grazing only.

The Kansas Farm Service Agency State Committee waived state policy restricting emergency use of CRP prior to the primary nesting season, which is April 15 through July 15. Haying and grazing activity associated with this authorization must end on or before April 15. If the drought designation remains at D2 or worse on July 15, county FSA committees can request a release again at that time.

CRP participants must request approval from the county FSA office prior to haying or grazing. Due to the emergency designation, participants will not have their annual rental payment reduced for the actual acres hayed and grazed. Acreage eligible for haying or grazing includes CP1, CP2, CP4, CP10, CP18 and CP38. CP25 is not authorized for the practices.

Counties eligible for both haying and grazing as of March 26 were Barber, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, Lincoln, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pratt, Rush, Russell, Scott, Seward and Trego. Grazing only has been approved for Finney, Grant, Kearny, Lane and Wichita counties.