Grazing Extension To Be Requested

Kansas is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program land.

State Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman urged the agency in a letter Thursday to grant an extension through Nov. 30. The same step was taken during last year’s drought without landowners incurring penalties in the form of a rental payment reduction.

Rodman says that while parts of Kansas have benefited from needed rainfall, many portions of the state remain in a severe drought condition.

There are 2.15 million acres enrolled in CRP in Kansas.

Rodman says in a news release that allowing ranchers to continue accessing that forage could be the difference between maintaining a cow herd or facing liquidation.