CRP released for haying

M

McFarmer

Well-known member
Yesterday I got a call from the NRCS guy and he told me the CRP got released for haying. All programs, no repayment.

The CRP here in my part of Iowa is going to take a huge hit. I have a considerable amount, I will cut maybe 10% of it so I can get some thistle control done this fall. He stated the mowing will qualify as mid contract management, that is driving most to cut it.

As a seller of hay I really don’t like the deal, as a former livestock producer I understand. Anyway you folks coming to Iowa may find a denuded landscape.
 
I believe you can cut a max of 50%. Pheasant recovery (SAFE acres) you can't touch the required switch grass areas. Also couldn't touch areas that were baled last year. I think the stream bank buffers and pollinator plots are also eligible this year, they were left out in the last drought cutting a few years ago I believe.
 
I could be wrong but the NRCS guy told me there are no restrictions. I have seen entire quarters of CRP cut in the last few days.

There are lots of programs with different provisions. I have land in more than one program and I was given permission to cut anything I wanted.

The changes were as of last Friday.
 
Crawford county was released for emergency haying in early August, so the rules may have changed since then. Maybe different counties have different rules as well.

My dad and aunts had maps from the NRCS showing areas that were off limits at that time. Most of the acres are the SAFE acres, not standard CRP, and a little pollinator. NRCS is also pretty good at giving conflicting information between offices or even different people in the same office. We only did about 30% and didn't touch the pollinator plots or stream bank buffers.

Not sure if the rules change between states or not, but this is not Iowa specific. The USDA emergency haying page has links to a map that shows the eligible counties nationwide.
 
I was in southern woodbury or northern monona cty last week and there was a lot of mowed & baled crp fields, too bad. I am hoping the ones I hunt will be spared. Most folks will take the extra cash, unless you don't need it or are a sportsman. The birds will be thick in the remaining cover.
 
If they can't sell it, most of it around me should be safe....few farmers still have cattle here.
 
Well, I have 3 different CRP farms that I pheasant hunt, beside our own. One has cattle grazing, another has been mowed and baled and I am about afraid to check on the 3rd farm....this stinks, I guess the surrounding waterways and cover should hold an abundance of birds this year.
 
remy3424 said:
Well, I have 3 different CRP farms that I pheasant hunt, beside our own. One has cattle grazing, another has been mowed and baled and I am about afraid to check on the 3rd farm....this stinks, I guess the surrounding waterways and cover should hold an abundance of birds this year.
Click to expand...
Where is this?
 
One farm is in Cherokee county and the other in Woodbury....NW Iowa. Really dry here, although, most of the area just received 2" of rain...too late to help this season's crop.
 
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