Governor Mary Fallin today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), acting in response to a directive from President Donald Trump, authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands in Oklahoma as a result of wildfires that devastated parts of northwest Oklahoma:
"I appreciate President Trump and the USDA for their quick action to help our ranchers who have sustained significant losses as a result of the destructive wildfires that ravaged the northwest part of our state. The loss of livestock is a tremendous burden, but the president's authorization gives ranchers help in the recovery process."
The USDA action is required to direct the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to permit the grazing on lands covered by the CRP, which exists to conserve and improve wildlife resources. The authorization is pursuant to appropriate restrictions and conservation measures.
Damages are expected to grow, but the USDA estimates that in Beaver, Ellis, Harper, Roger Mills, Woodward and Woods counties in Oklahoma:
389,533 acres burned.
3,000 head of cattle died.
Structure losses were $2 million.
Destroyed fencing exceeds $22 million.