Not all CRP acreage is eligible to be hayed, according to FSA.
Acreage that has been seeded to a cover within the last 12 months; planted to trees or shrubs; within 120 feet of a stream or other permanent water body; enrolled as a filter strip, or any other CRP practice prohibited by policy from being hayed is ineligible.
In addition, haying of CRP acreage is only allowed once every three years; thus, acreage hayed in 2011-12 is not eligible for haying this year.
Producers who hay CRP acreage will receive a 25 percent reduction in their annual CRP payment on the actual acres that are hayed and must agree to revise the ending date of the nesting season to Aug. 1 for all practices on their contract.
Under the managed haying provisions producers are allowed to take one cutting from Aug. 2-Sept. 15. Bales stored on acreage must be removed by Sept. 30.
Interested parties should contact their local FSA office. FG
—From USDA Farm Service Agency news release