Drought in Dakotas Worsens, Selling Cattle in Mile-Long Lines
Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R-SD) has declared a statewide emergency because of the ongoing drought conditions in his state.
The most recent drought monitor shows 80 percent of the Mount Rushmore State is at some level of dryness or drought.
As part of the state of emergency, South Dakota will ease haying and transportation restrictions to assist ag producers.
Meanwhile in North Dakota, Doug Goehring, state agriculture commissioner, got a first-hand look at the drought conditions. Goehring says there was a four to five inch rainfall deficit from March 10 to June 10 in central North Dakota.
He says it is “heartbreaking” to see livestock producers lined up for almost a mile at auction markets. With a lack of adequate grazing and feed, they’re selling their genetics that took years to build.
There have been calls to open Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres to early haying and grazing.
