Federal Court Ruling Keeps Some Stock Growers off CRP Acreage
Ruling leaves ranchers scrambling for feed
By Tom Lutey
Of The Gazette Staff
Chuck Maki was facing high feed prices and drought in May when the federal government said it would allow him in late summer to graze cattle on land he'd previously been paid to set aside for conservation… (more)
USDA Trims CRP Rent Reduction on Drought-Related Haying/Grazing
8/4/2008
Pro Farmer Editors
Producers in counties approved for emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land because of drought will have rental payments cut by 10% instead of the standard 25%, USDA announced late Friday. To date, that includes counties in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas.
To be approved for emergency haying or grazing, a county must be listed as a level "D3 Drought -Extreme" or greater, or have suffered at least a 40% loss of normal moisture and forage for the preceding four-month qualifying period. State FSA committees are reminded they may authorize emergency haying or grazing of CRP in counties currently listed as level D3 drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
To participate, livestock producers in counties approved for emergency haying or grazing assistance must certify they are an eligible livestock producer in an eligible county approved for emergency haying and grazing and that they are requesting emergency haying and grazing of eligible CRP acreage from another eligible CRP participant who is willing to provide hay or grazing. The primary nesting and brood rearing season of the State where the land to be hayed or grazed is located will be respected.
CRP participants who do not own or lease livestock may rent or lease the grazing privilege to an eligible livestock farmer located in an approved county. For all land enrolled in CRP that has been approved for emergency haying and grazing due to drought only, the Farm Service Agency will reduce the payment reduction from 25%, which was announced earlier, to 10%. This 10-percent payment reduction will be assessed based on the number of acres actually hayed or grazed times the CRP annual rental rate times 10%.
The following counties have been approved for emergency haying and grazing due to drought:
- Colorado: Sedgwick, Logan, Lincoln, Washington, Kiowa, Prowers, Bent, Baca, Las Animas, Otero, Crowley, Pueblo, El Paso
- Kansas: Sherman, Wallace, Hamilton, Stanton, Grant, Greeley, Haskell, Stevens
- Montana: Sheridan, Richland, Dawson, Blaine, Phillips, Glacier
- North Dakota: Divide, Burke, Renville, Bottineau, Rolette, Towner, Williams, Mountrail, Ward, McHenry, Pierce, McKenzie, Dunn, McLean, Sheridan, Golden Valley, Billings, Stark, Mercer, Oliver, Morton, Slope, Hettinger, Grant, Bowman, Adams.
- Oklahoma: Cimarron
- Texas: Briscoe, Castro, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Lipscomb, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Sherman, Swisher
Looking for water
Tim Leeds
Havre Daily News
July 02, 2008
Ranchers in Hill County have some extra time to apply for a program that would help them pay for providing water for livestock to replace water sources that have dried up, the Hill County Farm Services Agency executive director said Monday… (more)
Farm Service Agency
Public Affairs Staff
1400 Independence Ave SW
Stop 0506, Room 3624-South
Washington, D.C. 20250-0506
Release No. 1505.07
Latawnya Dia (202) 720-7962
USDA Designates Two Montana Counties Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2007 –The U.S. Department of Agriculture two Montana counties primary natural disaster areas. Big Horn County, Montana, was designated a primary natural disaster area because of losses caused by extreme flooding conditions that occurred from June 6, 2007, through June 13, 2007… (more)
Low interest loans offered in 8 counties suffering drought
Bozeman Chronicle
Nov 20, 2007
HELENA, Mont. (AP) – Farms and ranches in eight Montana counties could qualify for low-interest federal loans after the region was designated a natural disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture following several years of drought… (more)
NEWS
Farm Service Agency
Public Affairs Staff
1400 Independence Ave SW
Stop 0506, Room 3624-South
Washington, D.C. 20250-0506
Release No. 1557.07
Stevin Westcott (202) 720-4178
USDA Designates Broadwater County, Montana as a Primary Natural Disater Area
Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2007 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Broadwater County, Montana, as a primary natural disaster area because of losses caused by a severe and ongoing drought that occurred from Jan. 1, 2007, and continuing.
Farm operators in Gallatin, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark and Meagher counties in Montana also qualify for natural disaster benefits because their counties are contiguous.
All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Nov.
5, 2007, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
USDA has also made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
FSA news releases are available on FSA’s Web site at:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov via the “News and Events” link.
Parched Earth: Agency wants Missoula County declared a drought disaster
October 25, 2007
CHELSI MOY of the
Missoulian
POTOMAC - Rancher Jody Wills documents pivotal weather events on her calendar.
The first snow. The last rain. The hottest day.
She pays attention, not because she wants to, but because she has to. It's her livelihood… (more)
USDA Designates Valley County, Montana, as a Primary Natural Disaster Area
Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2007 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Valley County, Mont., as a primary natural disaster area because of losses caused by the combined effects of hail damage from several storms, high winds, excessive moisture, drought and excessive heat that occurred on June 1, 2007, and continuing…
Fire Management on CRP
With the hot, dry weather Montana faces during July and August, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract holders have the opportunity to provide fire protection on their CRP acres…(more)
Emergency Conservation Program & Adjusted Gross Income Provisions 2007
August 2007
On May 25, 2007, President Bush signed into law the "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007" (2007 Act). The 2007 Act provided $16 million in Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funding. However, unlike other ECP funds, the $16 million is subject to Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions, which limits payments to producers who earn more than $2.5 million a year… (more)
USDA Allocates $16 Million in Emergency Conservation Aid to 18 States
Aug. 16, 2007
WASHINGTON – Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum today announced that USDA is distributing $16 million in new Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funding to help farmers and ranchers in 18 states to rehabilitate land damaged by natural disasters or drought… (more)
USBR Funding Available in Great Plains Region
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has funding available for temporary construction of projects to manage water supplies affected by drought under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act in Montana that reduce or mitigate the impacts to water user groups, rural municipalities, fisheries, or water storage projects.
Irrigation districts, watershed groups, towns with water supply system problems, and individuals are encouraged to apply.
Funding for the drilling of wells for municipal water supplies affected by drought conditions is available.
No match by applicants is required. Reclamation administers the project so overhead or indirect expenses are not funded.
Click here to learn how to to apply.
Contact Mr. Jesse Aber, Water Resources Division, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena for more information.
Phone: (406) 444-6628
