CREP areas in South Dakota

treedaddy

treedaddy

Member
Does anyone know if the CREP areas around the James River are subject to emergency haying like the regular CRP tracts are? I checked out and scouted several WIAs and CREPs last fall and I would like to know if they could possibly be hayed or grazed. Also, if they can be hayed, are they allowed to cut the whole acreage?
 
treedaddy said:
Does anyone know if the CREP areas around the James River are subject to emergency haying like the regular CRP tracts are? I checked out and scouted several WIAs and CREPs last fall and I would like to know if they could possibly be hayed or grazed. Also, if they can be hayed, are they allowed to cut the whole acreage?
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Yes CREP is allowed to be hayed or grazed. If it is hayed only half of it can be cut. Grazing has restrictions as to how short it can be grazed. In the case of haying it will improve the hunting.
 
Don't know about CREP, but I overheard a farmer by Ft. Pierre Friday telling about his out-of-state hay buyer was in a big hurry to buy his CRP hay. So much for "conservation".

Pretty good deal for him:
1. Public taxes pays for CRP set-aside acres
2. Sell CRP hay to highest bidder
3. Charge hunters to hunt what's left

Looks like a triple-dipper to me!
 
I heard hay was bringing as much as $180 an acre. Payback to government on grounds that rents crp for $100/acre is $10/acre.

I will say this. CRP acts as an excellent soil bank and now we see it also acting as a significant forage (hay) bank.
 
If you want people to keep putting land in CRP, then this is a good thing. It is good to clean off the land once in a while and it is an incentive that does not cost the taxpayers a thing. It will improve the hunting because it will concentrate the birds. Land can be rented for more than CRP pays so if one of these years comes along, it helps make it a little more even. The rest of the years it is available for wildlife instead of being corn or soybeans. Whether it feels like it or not it is a good thing for the wildlife enthusiast.
 
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