U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release Friday, July 11, 2008		CONTACT:Michael Amodeo – 303-249-5286 Matt Lee-Ashley – 202-228-5905
UPDATE: USDA Agrees to Provide Drought Relief for Farmers and Ranchers in Southeast Colorado WASHINGTON, DC – Today, at the urging of United States Senator Ken Salazar, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that acreage enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will be made available for emergency haying and grazing in Baca, Prowers, Kiowa, and Bent counties in Southeast Colorado. Opening these CRP lands will provide much-needed relief for farmers and ranchers in the area whose operations have suffered due to severe drought. “Today’s announcement from USDA comes not a moment too soon for our farmers and ranchers in Southeast Colorado,” said Senator Salazar. “Providing immediate access to CRP acreage will help them survive this drought, albeit under incredibly difficult circumstances.” A copy of Senator Salazar’s June 25 letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer urging USDA to take this necessary action can be found here. ###