Texas congressmen support CRP acreage use for haying and grazing

TSCRA Daily News Update, July 15, 2008

Texas congressmen support CRP acreage use for haying and grazing

Three Texas congressmen have signed a letter sent to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer July 15 in support of CRP acreages for haying or grazing. A recent ruling by a U.S. district judge put a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the Conservation Reserve Program's (CRP) Critical Feed Use program, which allowed cattle producers use of these certain acres for haying or grazing. This ruling came after Schafer had released CRP acres for "Critical Feed Use" and was prompted by an injunction filed by the National Wildlife Federation.

Congressmen Randy Neugebauer, 19^th Congressional District, Mac Thornberry, 13^th Congressional District, and K. Michael Conaway, 11^th Congressional District, are in agreement that "if not overturned, the TRO will severely disrupt livestock production in our districts as well as others across the country. Many producers will be faced with the decision of liquidating their livestock because they have no other pasture and they cannot afford the high grain and feed costs as an alternative."

A hearing on the issue is scheduled for Thursday, July 17. To read the letter in entirety, please click here.