The continued drought is stressing Iowa’s corn and soybean crops, while cutting into the availability of hay and other feed for livestock. During July, members of Iowa’s congressional delegation called for the U-S Department of Agriculture to allow emergency haying and grazing on land that’s part of the Conservation Reserve Program or C-R-P. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says that request was granted on Monday.
Grassley, a Republican, says he’s working with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, on bipartisan legislation which they hope to see included in the new Farm Bill.
The Farm Service Agency says 26 Iowa counties are cleared for unrestricted haying and grazing: Allamakee, Audubon, Benton, Buena Vista, Carroll, Cedar, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Crawford, Decatur, Des Moines, Fremont, Henry, Humboldt, Ida, Jones, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Page, Pocahontas, Sac, Shelby, and Washington. Another 20 Iowa counties have restrictions for haying and grazing: Appanoose, Cass, Davis, Harrison, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Lucas, Lyon, Mahaska, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Van Buren, Wapello, Wayne and Woodbury. For full details, visit: www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/crp_haying_grazing_factsheet.pdf.
