By Leah Douglas and Christopher Walljasper.

CHICAGO (Reuters). Farm groups have urged the U.S. Agriculture Department not to deny farmers permission to plant in areas designated for conservation. This is to make up the difference between the lack of Ukrainian wheat, sunflower oil, and Ukrainian corn during Russia’s incursion.

Seven agriculture lobbying groups representing U.S. farmers and feed producers wrote Wednesday to Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture. They asked for flexibility from the USDA so that farmers can plant on over 4 million acres of prime farmland currently in the Farm Service Agency Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

For a period of 10 years, the program will pay farmers for their fallow land.

According to the letter, “It is not certain whether Ukrainian farmers can safely plant crops this Spring.” The moment is now. “The planting window has already opened in the United States.”

At 2021’s corn yield average, this could translate into 18.7 million additional tonnes.

American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Grain and Feed Association signed the letter. It echoes a U.S. March 8 request. The letter was signed by Senator John Boozman from Arkansas and other agriculture economists.

Scott Irwin, University of Illinois agricultural economist said that “This is an urgent wartime situation.” It’s clear that there is a need for acres of wheat, corn, and other crops in the world this spring. But where will they be found?

Some farmers remain skeptical of the idea. Some farmers are skeptical about the idea of CRP land. They are either difficult to cultivate, lack soil, or sensitive to environmental factors.

Everything that can be grown in my region is farmed. My area has very low levels of CRP. It’s only in places you don’t want to farm,” said Kevin Scott, a corn and soybean farmer in southeastern South Dakota.

Roman Leshchenko, the Agriculture Minister said that Ukraine’s war is threatening 7 million hectares (7.3 million acres), almost half of Ukraine’s spring planting area. Russian forces block access to farms for some farmers in conflict areas, while other farmers are unable to get enough fuel or fertilizer. Exporters also have difficulty shipping grain because they prevent them from reaching the Russian border.

Already, the European Union has eased fallow land restrictions and offered financial incentives to farmers for additional acres.

Vilsack said that the USDA-FSA had not yet made any plans to loosen CRP regulations.

“I think it’s a little premature to make that call, because we really don’t know precisely what’s going to happen,” said Vilsack.