Leah Douglas

(Reuters) – Two senators joined farm groups and other legislators in asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture for permission to farmers plant conservable acres in spring as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Global hunger is predicted to rise due to disruptions in the Ukraine’s planting season, which was a key exporter of grain.

On March 31, Marco Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, and Cynthia Lummis (from Wyoming) wrote to Tom Vilsack asking for the USDA’s permission to permit farmers to plant acres that are enrolled in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

The senators stated that allowing crop production on CRP land is crucial for stabilizing high food prices, which have soared in recent months. They also wrote that it would help American growers meet the growing global need for grain that poses a threat to the lives of many millions.

Arkansas Republican senator John Boozman was also a ranking member of Senate Agriculture Committee and asked for CRP-planting to be allowed by the USDA.

Vilsack sent a March 31 letter to the National Grain and Feed Association. Vilsack stated that the USDA was opposed to this idea.

The letter stated that “Quickly Converting (CRP), land to Crop Production is clearly impossible” and could have long-term negative consequences for climate and land.

Vilsack has been contacted by several farm groups, including NGFA. Vilsack requested permission to let farmers plant on more than 4million acres (1.6 million hectares), of CRP-enrolled “prime land”. Under 10-year or 15-year agreements, the program allows farmers to leave acres untouched. [L2N2VQ2R1]

Farmers and economists have voiced reservations about this idea as CRP land can be environmentally sensitive.

Farmers are less interested in expanding their land because of high costs and limited availability of fertilizer. Farmers said that they plan to plant just 214,000 acres, or 86,603 ha, more in 2020 than 2021 (a 0.1% rise).

In response to war in Ukraine, the European Union is already allowing farmers to use fallow land and has distributed aid. [L5N2VQ584]