WASHINGTON – US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a two-month extension for emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program acres.

Farmers and ranchers in drought stricken states that have been approved for emergency grazing can use CRP land through Nov. 30 without incurring an additional CRP rental payment reduction. The emergency grazing time period normally lasts through Sept. 30, USDA said.

Vilsack also designated 147 additional counties in 14 states as natural disaster areas. This includes 128 counties in 10 states due to drought. USDA said the agency has designated 1,892 unduplicated counties in 38 states as disaster areas — 1,820 due to drought — over a period of seven weeks.