Agricultures Catch 22: When rain is a bad thing

A problem with recent precipitation in north-central Montana is it may be too late to help ag producers feed cattle now, and may also prevent grazing on land in the Conservation Reserve Program.

Jesse Aber of Gov. Judy Martz's Drought Task Force said Friday that recent precipitation could factor in enough moisture that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency will be unable to grant requests to graze or hay CRP land. The FSA's hands are tied by regulations that the amount of precipitation for the last four months in an area is part of the decision, he said.

The moisture came in...