Joan Ruskamp, and her husband Steve, operate J & S Feedlot near Dodge. With Dodge County under extreme or exceptional drought, the couple has had to adjust how they care for their cattle and the community is holding special masses to pray for rain.
After watching the dust trails follow the cows in his Herman pastures, Dan Braesch didn’t hold back about the fraught conditions facing Nebraska ranchers, farmers and livestock producers this summer because of the ongoing drought.
“We’re in a world of hurt,” he said.
Almost the whole state is experiencing drought, although conditions are easing some in the western part of the state.
Twenty percent of Nebraska is in extreme drought, according to the latest Drought Monitor report. Most of that falls in the eastern half of the state, where 10.9% of the land is under the even worse exceptional drought category. That can lead to widespread crop and pasture losses.
Braesch, who also grows corn, soybeans and alfalfa at the D&D Cattle Company (about 44 miles northeast of Omaha), said this is the driest he’s ever seen his soil. He’s been in the business since his father started farming in 1975.
“Last year, our corn crop was about half the year prior. It wasn’t good,” he said. “The way this is happening, it’s going to be (worse) yet.”
Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, said the next few weeks will determine the success of crops in the state.
She's hoping that innovations in the ag industry, such as drought-resistant corn, will help farmers and ranchers weather the dry conditions. She, like everyone else, is also hoping for rain.
“We’ll know a lot more in July. That’s when decisions will have to be made for pastures. I can’t imagine anyone putting in another crop. It’s just going to be done,” she said. “We’re OK now. But if this continues, harder choices will have to be made.’’
Source: yorknewstimes.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-neenawat555
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Livestock, Beef Cattle