Emergency Use Grazing & Soft Fruit Harvest

Emergency Use Grazing & Soft Fruit Harvest I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today. Washington producers that have been impacted by the wildfires this year may be eligible to graze Conservation Reserve Program land under "emergency use."  Under this provision, producers who have lost pastures or fences due to wildfires can graze CRP for a limited time without a penalty. Interested producers need to request approval prior to haying or grazing the CRP by September 13.  With approval, livestock may be temporarily moved onto CRP land until September 25. Any producers impacted by wildfires this past summer should contact their local FSA office for more information. According to BJ Thurlby with the Washington State Fruit Commission the state's soft fruit crop is one of the best eating crops seen in years. THURLBY: This warm weather that didn't necessarily agree with cherries all the way through seems to have really agreed with soft fruit and we're seeing some of the more flavorful fruit and it's been indicative of fruit from all over the country. The eating experience for the consumer from day one has been positive I think. Thurlby says support from Northwest retail partners has been good, as well as good support coming out of Canada, with around a million boxes of soft fruit shipped to date and probably another million to go. THURLBY: It's just an exciting deal to see Washington Peaches deep in the marketplace - Washington nectarines everywhere here at the peak of summer season. While Washington is not a major producer of peaches, as it is cherries and apples, the state is in the top three when it comes to nectarine production. THURLBY: The way we're going to win it this summer and get our fruit sold is because it's going to be the best eating. That's Washington Ag Today. I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.