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USDA moves up date for haying, grazing cover crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency agreed to move up the date for the haying and grazing of cover crops to Sept. 1 in 23 counties with a significant number of prevented plant acres.

Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer announced the change on Monday. Hoeven is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“Given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our farmers and ranchers, we need to do all we can to help our producers weather the challenges,” said Hoeven. “We appreciate USDA providing some flexibility on the haying and grazing date that will enable more producers to utilize cover crops on prevented plant acres. Cover crops are an important tool that helps to ensure these acres are better maintained.”

“North Dakota producers face local natural disasters and a global pandemic in their fight to get their product to market,” said Cramer. This earlier date provides them with flexibility and allows our ranchers to feed the excess livestock they did not expect to have because of the meat processing backlog. We are grateful to President Trump and his Administration for once again looking out for North Dakota’s agricultural community.”

Eligible counties include: Barnes, Benson, Bottineau, Cass, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, McIntosh, Nelson, Ramsey, Ramsom, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill and Wells.

RMA kept the Nov. 1 haying and grazing date for the remaining counties.

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