Johnson seeks flexibility from USDA in planting delays

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and the Wisconsin congressional delegation have sent a letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, encouraging him to allow a one-time accommodation for Wisconsin farmers to give them flexibility for the harvest and grazing of certain crops.

Excessive rain across much of the Midwest this spring and USDA harvest-time limitations have left farmers uncertain of what planting options to pursue this year.

“Dairy and livestock farmers in Wisconsin and across the Midwest are predicting substantial feed shortages this year due to winterkill of alfalfa and a planting season delayed by an unusually wet spring. Farmers still have the opportunity to recover from these challenges and plant crops that will allow them to put up feed for their livestock.

"However, USDA regulations are preventing farmers from being able to respond to these difficult growing conditions,” the members wrote. “We urge you to take swift action, within the next few weeks, to provide planting, harvesting, and grazing flexibility to farmers so that they can have certainty about their planting options and get their crops in the ground.”