Last year’s wildfire season was one of the worst in history for Oregon cattle producers.
Nearly 2 million acres burned, and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association says they are still recovering.
According to Matt McElligott, “People are trying to rebuild fences. There are hundreds and hundreds of miles of fences to rebuild. In some areas, the fire was so hot that the wire literally melted. So, there are contractors on the ground building fences, and they have been for months, and they will for months in the future.”
McElligott says that many producers still feel lost, with some having to sell all of their animals after being burned out of their ranchland.
“People are picking up the pieces and moving forward. They either totally got out of the business, took their cattle and really reduced their numbers so that they could still stay in the business, but in a reduced fashion so that they could protect the range ground and then grow back into it again as the conditions reflect, whether we get good rains or a good snowpack and rebuild that way,” he adds.
Key signs of the U.S. beef herd’s recovery are improved pasture conditions, lower feed costs, and increased regulatory alignment and support for producers to implement targeted grazing practices.
October 07, 2025 12:35 PM
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Dr. Mark Svoboda with the National Drought Mitigation Center discusses a new global drought report and resources to help operations increase drought resilience.
October 07, 2025 11:58 AM
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September 23, 2025 03:34 PM
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Danny Munch explains how the Emergency Livestock Relief Program application process differs from other USDA aid programs.
September 18, 2025 01:39 PM
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today issued a new memorandum to modernize and strengthen America’s wildfire prevention and response system.
September 15, 2025 04:56 PM
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Assistance for losses due to flooding and wildfire on non-federally managed land
September 12, 2025 10:47 AM
Tom Peterson with the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association says taxpayers are “unfortunate casualties” of this overlay now that the Mexican wolf population is stable under ESA guidelines.
September 05, 2025 01:21 PM
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August 04, 2025 01:05 PM
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