Farmers with land enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program may be able to use certain acreage for hay and forage this year under a new USDA policy.

The authorization, which is good for 2008 only, is an effort to help farmers coping with record or near-record prices for most field crops. The livestock industry is particularly affected.

“This action will provide much needed feed and forage while maintaining the conservation benefits from the nation's premier conservation program,” said Jane T. Cabal, executive director of the Cayuga County Farm Service Agency office. “Eligible farmers and ranchers will be able to plan for harvest of forage after the end of the primary nesting season this summer.”

Nationwide, more than 24 million acres of land enrolled in CRP will be eligible for the program, and the USDA estimates it will make available up to 18 million tons of forage worth $1.2 billion.

Eligible land may not be hayed or grazed until after the end of the primary nesting season. Forage use must be completed by Nov. 10.

Farmers have been able to sign up for the program since June 2, at local Farm Service Agency offices.

Additional details can be found at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation or by contacting Cabal at 253-8471.