Farmers and ranchers are being hit by drought in Montana and the Dakotas, and USDA wants to help. The agency is offering help through several federal farm program provisions, and it continues to monitor the situation.

Recently, Amy Webbink, USDA's Farm Service Agency acting state executive director in Montana, announced the agency has authorized emergency haying on Conservation Reserve Program lands. This permission runs from July 16 to Aug. 30, 2017 for counties in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota designated as D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

This move is similar to the authorization for emergency grazing announced last month, and it includes any county with any part of its border located within 150 miles of a county eligible for emergency haying of CRP based on the drought monitor.

Rising demand for feed has already reduced stockpiles of hay. As of May 1, Montana and North Dakota reported the lowest hay stocks on hand since 2013, and since 2014 in South Dakota. Webbink added: "We are offering any and all USDA program options that will provide farmers and ranchers relief from the devastating impacts of prolonged drought."

Landowners interested in taking part in emergency haying of CRP acres should contact the local FSA office and meet with the local Natural Resources Conservation Service staff to obtain a modified conservation plan to include emergency haying. Not all CRP practices qualify for emergency haying.

July 15 is the end of the primary nesting season in Montana. Due to the severe drought conditions, authorization for emergency haying may start July 16 in North Dakota and South Dakota. Individual conservation plans will take wildlife needs into consideration.

USDA reported that eligible CRP participants can hay their acreage for their own use, or may grant another producer use of CRP land for haying purposes. There will be no CRP annual rental payment reductions assessed for acres hayed under this emergency authority.

Webbink said the emergency haying authorization is an added resource to a range of drought assistance programs and provisions offered by USDA agencies that are currently available to eligible producers with qualifying drought loss or related need.

Here are three more:

Emergency CRP grazing. In June, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue authorized emergency grazing of CRP acres during the primary nesting season in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota in counties indicated as D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor. This authorization was further expanded to include any county with any part of its border located within 150 miles of a county designated as level D2 drought-severe” or higher according, to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Grazing is authorized through Sept. 30, 2017 unless conditions improve. In Montana, 1,379,913 acres are currently enrolled under CRP.

FSA farm loan livestock physical control requirement flexibility. USDA will authorize up to a 12-month exemption to the FSA farm loan requirement that borrowers maintain physical control of livestock during the term of the loan. This exemption will allow livestock producers the option of sending livestock to feedlots, drylots or otherwise relocate livestock to locations where feed, forage and water needs can be met. Borrowers must contact FSA prior to moving livestock out of state.

Emergency loan program. Available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Secretarial Disaster designation. These low-interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses.

For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster.

Source: USDA FSA Montana