Ranchers get OK to graze animals on protected land

The U.S. Agriculture Department Tuesday announced it would help livestock producers struggling with record feed prices by letting growers, nationwide, plant hay and graze animals on millions of fragile acres set aside in a landmark conservation program.

USDA Secretary Ed Schafer said the initiative could bring up to 24 million acres of land into use. That could provide 18 million tons of feed and forage, worth $1.2 billion. Farmers who participate will still have to protect the most sensitive areas, like wetlands and buffer strips along streambeds.

Further, the program will be available only after primary nesting season for birds who depend on the conservation acreage, particularly in the Prairie Pothole region of the Dakotas and Montana.

“(This) will significantly increase the amount of feed available to the livestock industry,” Schafer said.

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