Farm Service Agency County Executive Director Mike Stevens today announced that in light of the extensive drought conditions plaguing Chisago and Isanti, both counties have requested and have been approved to Hay or Graze Conservation Reserve Acreage (CRP).

CRP is a voluntary program that offers annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term resource-conserving cover on eligible land.

This action will permit approved CRP participants to cut hay or graze livestock on CRP acreage, providing supplemental forage to producers whose pastures have been adversely affected by drought.

To be approved for emergency haying or grazing, a county must be listed as a level ìD3 Drought ñ Extremeî or greater. The U.S. Drought Monitor classified Chisago and Isanti as D3 Drought Counties on July 25, 2006.

Only livestock operations located within approved counties are eligible for emergency haying or grazing of CRP acreage. 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, the Farm Service Agency will reduce the payment reduction from 25 percent, which was announced earlier, to 10 percent. 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 percent.

To find out if you are an eligible CRP participant, you must first contact your local Farm Service Agency prior to haying or grazing the land. Isanti County CRP participants must first call (763) 689-3354. Chisago County CRP participants must first call (651) 674-7051.