A federal district judge in Seattle yesterday issued an order recognizing a July 8 restraining order could have an impact that’s “devastating to citizens who trusted that their government was acting legally in implementing the critical feed use” of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres. The lawsuit that triggered the restraining order was filed by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and claimed USDA’s decision to allow haying and grazing on 24 million CRP acres under a critical feed use directive was not in accordance with the law.
In Thursday’s decision, the judge ordered NWF and USDA to meet and attempt to agree to a modified preliminary injunction that takes into account all of the relevant hardships. The parties are to consider limiting the total acreage that can be hayed and grazed to 2.5 million acres, which was estimated by USDA as the number affected by the critical feed use program. The parties are to report back to the court with their suggestions by July 22. According to the order, the court will issue a final modified preliminary injunction on that day. The July 8 restraining order remains in effect until the court issues the injunction.
NCBA and 11 state affiliates, including KLA, joined the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council in an amicus brief in an effort to convince the court the restraining order caused considerable harm and expense to livestock producers who were counting on the CRP forage since the May 27 announcement. Several KLA members provided specific examples of how the restraining order impacted their business plans.
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