Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) led Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, along with Representatives Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith, Mark Alford, and Eric Burlison in writing United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to encourage the USDA to pursue all available options to open Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands to haying in an effort to provide additional forage for livestock and immediate drought relief for Missouri farmers and ranchers.
“The acute shortage of quality hay and forage due to drought conditions has led to a concerning uptick in scams targeting farm families desperate to feed their herds,” the Members wrote. “While many farmers and ranchers have grazed or hayed just about every square inch of available forage, acres enrolled in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) remain a largely untapped emergency relief valve.”
“We urge you to explore all available options to immediately open CRP lands in Missouri to emergency haying to provide sufficient forage for livestock,” the Members concluded.
According to the United States Drought Monitor, over 80 percent of Missouri is currently experiencing at least a moderate drought, with more than half the state in a severe drought, and 20 percent suffering under extreme drought conditions. These conditions have left Missouri farmers and ranchers with few remaining options to feed their livestock through the winter until CRP lands are opened to haying.
You can read the full letter here.
