Producers in Coles County can now request haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres while still receiving their full rental payment for the land enrolled in CRP.

Outside of the primary nesting season, emergency haying and grazing of CRP acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster.  The primary nesting season ended August 1.  Counties are approved for emergency haying and grazing due to drought conditions on a county-by-county basis when a county is designated as level “D2 Drought – Severe” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. While conditions have improved since receiving the designation in late June, producers are continuing to feel the impact of the drought.  Consequently, Coles County has been authorized to implement use emergency haying and grazing. 

Eligible producers who are interested in emergency haying and grazing CRP acres must request approval before haying and grazing eligible acreage and must obtain a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that includes haying and grazing provisions.  

All practices for emergency haying and grazing are eligible except CP38 (SAFE) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement (CREP) acres.  There will be no CRP annual rental payment reduction for 2023 emergency haying and grazing authorizations.

To take advantage of the emergency haying or grazing provisions, authorized producers can use the CRP acreage for their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage.  Participants are limited to one hay cutting and are permitted to sell the hay.  

Producers are reminded that the same CRP acreage cannot be both hayed and/or grazed at the same time.  The eligible CRP acreage is limited to acres located within Clark County. 

For more information and to request approval for emergency haying and grazing use of CRP acres, contact the Coles County FSA Office at 217-345-3901 extension #2. 

FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Please report any changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address, direct deposit or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. You should also report any changes to your operation in which you reorganize to form a Trust, LLC or other legal entity.

FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902.

To update your records, contact the Coles County USDA Service Center at 217-345-3901.

The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low-interest financing to help you build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling trucks.

Eligible commodities include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas and dry peas), hay, honey, renewable biomass, fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storage facilities, floriculture, hops, maple sap, rye, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and poultry (unprocessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excluding systems that maintain live animals through uptake and discharge of water). Qualified facilities include grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for eligible commodities.

Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement, loans between $50,000 and $100,000 may require additional security, and loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security.

You do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.

For more information, contact the Coles County USDA Service Center at 217-345-3901 or visit fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport.