Haying or grazing of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands is prohibited unless the Secretary of Agriculture releases enrolled lands to alleviate consequences of drought or other agricultural emergency. Emergency release of CRP grasslands in some regions of the Great Plains and Midwest occurred in as many as 8 years between 1988 and 1997.
In the short term, haying reduces vegetation cover. Haying may also have survival implications for avian species in the winter following harvest and may affect cover quality for the subsequent nesting season. There had been no description of long-term effects of emergency haying on CRP grassland wildlife habitat characteristics to refine management guidelines.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/Products/Presentations/10000/10000.asp
Page Contact Information: AskFORT@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified: 11:41:16 PM
