Lucas applauds USDA changes that help Oklahoma farmers

U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for adjusting the nation’s 2019 haying and grazing date from Nov. 1 to Sept. 1, which will help Oklahoma farmers who faced difficulties planting due to flooding.

“The changes announced by USDA’s Risk Management Agency will provide great relief to Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers as well as much needed protection for Oklahoma’s golden crop – winter wheat,” Rep. Lucas said.

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced on June 20 that it adjusted the 2019 final haying and grazing date to help farmers who were prevented from planting because of flooding and excess rainfall this spring.

“For nearly a month, Oklahoma’s farmers were at the mercy of Mother Nature,” said Rep. Lucas last week. “Countless storms and an unprecedented amount of flooding dramatically changed the lives of Oklahoma’s farmers preventing many from planting the cover crops that many communities so greatly rely on.”

The RMA also determined that silage, haylage and baleage should be treated in the same manner as haying and grazing for this year, allowing producers to hay, graze or cut cover crops for silage, haylage or baleage on prevented plant acres on or after Sept. 1. This would allow farmers to maintain their eligibility for their full 2019 prevented planting indemnity, according to the RMA.

“These adjustments have been made for 2019 only,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “RMA will evaluate the prudence of a permanent adjustment moving forward.”