AMES, Iowa — The harsh winter and wet spring have caused many challenges for Iowa’s farmers. Through phone calls and discussions at June BeefMeets, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association’s members have made it clear that increased forage access is needed. ICA staff and board members have been reaching out to Iowa’s congressional delegation over the past month to find a solution and provide more flexibility to beef producers across the state.
An announcement from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is welcome news for our producers. For this year only, farmers who plant a cover crop on prevented plant acres will be allowed to hay, graze or chop these fields on September 1st with no reduction to their crop insurance payment. Sileage, haylage, and baleage will also be permitted.
In a normal year, farmers are allowed access to this forage after November 1st and are never allowed to harvest the cover crop.
RMA will continue to evaluate a permanent adjustment. ICA has also advocated for the Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters Act (FEEDD), which would permanently authorize the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to allow haying, grazing and baling of cover crops on prevented plant acres prior to November 1st. Representatives Loebsack, Finkenauer and Axne are all co-sponsors of the bill.
“ICA and its members are appreciative that RMA responded to the concerns of cattle producers in Iowa,” says Matt Deppe, CEO of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “The adjusted timeline provides much more flexibility and forage for cattlemen this fall.”
— Iowa Cattlemen’s Association
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