2012 drought largest in over 50 years
USDA reported in early July that half of all U.S. pastures are in poor or very poor condition as pastures dwindle, cattle in some hard-hit areas are going to town and some producers hope to buy time by feeding winter hay.
Drought is affecting 1,000 counties in 26 states, or in 61 percent of the nation. Also, recent government reports show that 30 percent of the corn in 18 key producing states is classiffied as "poor" or "very poor" condition.
Spreadsheet calculates cost of CRP hay and grazing.
Additional CRP practices authorized for emergency haying and grazing.
Vilsack releases CRP land almost nationwide.
Dalrymple Requests USDA Begin Crop Damage Assessments.
North Dakota Creeps into Worst Drought Since 2008
| Drought Conditions | |
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(Oct. 1st to present)
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(Past 30 days)
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| Weather forecast | |
| Long-term outlook | |
| Resources | ||
| USDA announces new provisions for ranchers. | ||
| Prevent nitrate poisoning in drought-damaged corn. | ||
| Facts on water quality during a drought. | ||
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North Dakota State University
Extension specialists Carl Dahlen and Charlie Stoltenow recommend
steps to protect cattle from heat stress.
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The North Dakota State University feedlist brings together buyers and sellers
who have or need hay, pasture, trucking, etc.
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| Stretching pastures during drought. | ||
| Can I feed drought-stressed crops to cattle? | ||
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For information, strategies and additional resources, visit:
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| Financial Tools | |
| Tax options announced as drought forces cattlemen to sell off their herds. | |
| Monitor feed and livestock markets | |
| Drought management calculator | |