WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted an extension of the emergency grazing on CRP lands through September 30 for areas of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas impacted by recent wildfires.

This letter from Secretary Perdue comes in response to a letter sent by Congressmen Marshall, Thornberry and Lucas to the USDA requesting an extension of the authorized emergency grazing on CRP lands located in Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.

 

@RogerMarshallMD @MacTXPress @RepFrankLucas ask & receive extension for CRP emergency grazing from USDA https://t.co/aezKe0WSSF #beef pic.twitter.com/nb2VcO5vcA

— AgView (@agviewnews) June 16, 2017

 

“I want to thank Secretary Perdue and the USDA for responding to the needs of cattle producers across the wildfire-damaged area,” Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D., said. “This extension should give grass additional time to recover and producers additional time to rebuild fences and other facilities destroyed by the fire. I appreciate the Secretary and USDA utilizing the flexibility they have to help restore these hard-working Kansans.”

“I’ve lived all my life in Northwest Oklahoma, but I have never seen anything of the magnitude of these fires,” Congressman Frank Lucas said. “USDA’s 90 day extension of emergency grazing on CRP acres will no doubt help ease the burden for farmers and ranchers in our part of the country by providing them with additional flexibility while forage is reestablished and fencing is rebuilt. I thank Secretary Perdue for working with us on this critical matter to help support producers impacted by these devastating wildfires.”