OTHER VOICES: USDA action: Probably too little, too late

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 218 counties in 12 states as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought, including western South Dakota, western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. In addition, the USDA is opening some Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing for drought-stricken ranchers, including some wetlands reserve land previously off-limits for production.

We are, of course, grateful that the USDA has decided to open CRP acres to haying and grazing because of the drought. The USDA appears, however, to have merely complied with the rules of the program that allows it to open CRP acres for emergency haying and grazing after Aug. 1 if land is classified as "abnormally dry" under the U.S. Drought Monitor on July 19.

Most of the United States, including South Dakota and nearby states, has been abnormally dry, if not abnormally hot, dry and dusty, long before July 19.

Ranchers and state officials have been seeking permission from the USDA for haying and grazing on CRP land for many weeks without result.

This week's release of CRP acres for emergency use is probably too little, too late for many West River ranchers.

Don't misunderstand our criticism; we support the CRP program. Landowners get payments from the government to take land out of production to guard against erosion and create wildlife habitat. It helps farmers and ranchers, and it's good for the environment.

We question if the USDA followed the CRP program rules to the letter for environmental reasons despite the well-publicized drought conditions in the Dakotas and elsewhere. Many ranchers who could have used the CRP land have had to sell livestock early because of a lack of feed caused by the drought.

Much to their credit, sportsmen's groups have supported an early release of CRP land, including wetlands areas.

The USDA's drought disaster declarations and release of CRP program land for emergency haying and grazing is a welcome decision. But the department could have acted earlier when evidence of widespread drought was obvious to all, and what it has announced represents the bare minimum of what should be done for drought-stricken ranchers.

Rapid City (S.D.) Journal

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