The New Year is here, but in Oregon, some ranchers and livestock producers are still trying to recover from record wildfires back in 2024. Matt McCelligott, past president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, said those wildfires left a devastating legacy.
“When it does burn, it does go through forest land and also goes through open rangeland,” McCelligott said. “But all of it is rangeland, quite frankly, and when it burns, then it creates such damage to the environment that we can’t, as an industry, graze cattle or sheep or any other livestock on that for a couple of years, unless the conditions are just exceptional, and usually they aren’t.”
McElligott says wildfires can burn so hot that they destroy any seed bank in the soil, inhibiting future growth. The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association has launched a fund to assist ranchers affected by wildfires across the state.
Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs joined us with an update on how the SBA is working to support rural communities and small businesses across the country.
February 19, 2026 11:41 AM
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Federal aid helps, but producers will bear most of the losses. Balance sheets may look stable, but margins remain fragile without policy support.
February 18, 2026 01:49 PM
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Red Flag Warning in effect as high winds fuel fast-moving blaze across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas
February 18, 2026 11:23 AM
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Bayer’s Monsanto announces $7.25B class settlement for Roundup™ lawsuits alleging Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), covering claims over 21 years.
February 17, 2026 04:14 PM
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Farmer Ed Bell shares how AGRAbility helped him return to his family’s strawberry farm and inspire resilience, legacy, and hope in rural life.
February 17, 2026 03:12 PM
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The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has issued final Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments totaling more than $1.89 billion.
February 16, 2026 10:55 AM
