Half the country is in drought, and hay is where it bites
Nearly 60% of the Lower 48 is in drought as of September 1. In Wyoming three-quarters of pasture and rangeland is rated poor or very poor — roughly double the five-year average.
1h ago
Topic
Drought
6 stories, newest first.
Pasture & Forage· SD
Sixty percent of the cowherd is in drought, and hay demand is "good to very good" everywhere it is dry
South Dakota pasture values rose nearly 16 percent even as the drought footprint doubled. Nebraska alfalfa is up $10 to $20, Wyoming baled hay up to $30. A state-by-state look at what feed is costing going into fall.
13h ago
Should you keep heifers this fall? The honest math at $400 calves
USDA wants the herd rebuilt. The market is paying you not to. A worked example of what a retained heifer has to be worth in 2028 to beat selling her in October 2026, and the three things that decide it.
1d ago
Stretching hay through a dry winter: what to do before the first hard freeze
If your pasture is short and hay is $30 higher than last year, the decisions that save the most money get made in September, not January. Test your hay, cull now, limit-feed, and know when a cow is cheaper to sell than to winter.
2d ago
Pasture & Forage· OK
Wheat pasture at $400 stockers: plant early, but not before the fly-free date
Winter wheat that goes in early enough to graze has never been worth more. But planting ahead of the Hessian fly-free date, in a warm fall, trades grazing days for a stand you may lose. The dates by region and the math on gain.
5d ago
SDRP deadline is September 30. Quality losses from 2023 and 2024 now qualify with your own records.
The $16 billion Supplemental Disaster Relief Program has been extended one last time. Payment factor is now 70 percent. If you had a 2023 or 2024 weather loss, indemnified or not, the FSA office needs your paperwork this month.
Sep 2