THUNE: Drought assistance is on the way.
For most folks, the holiday usually means backyard barbecues, parades, fireworks, and a break from the usual nine-to-five grind.
Unless you’re a farmer or rancher, that is.
Every day is a workday.
Now is one of those times.
I’ve been working with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to identify ways that we can get some much-needed assistance to livestock producers faster and break down unnecessary bureaucratic barriers that make farming and ranching more difficult, particularly now during the drought.
On one hand, USDA was telling producers to destroy useable hay on some CRP-enrolled acres.
Shortly after the announcement about hay destruction, I shared a bit of South Dakota common sense with Secretary Perdue: You should never destroy hay when it could be used to feed cattle and help livestock owners who are struggling, especially during a severe drought.
I also encouraged him to authorize emergency haying and grazing on CRP-enrolled land in all counties that have a border within 150 miles of a county that’s been approved for emergency haying or grazing of CRP.
In the meantime, I encourage those with CRP acres they want to use for haying or grazing to contact their local Farm Service Agency office as soon as possible to begin the approval process for this assistance.