Livestock producers across the country are now facing worsening pasture conditions.
USDA’s latest Crop Progress Report shows that 28 states saw a decrease in grazing areas rated good to excellent.
Michigan and Kentucky both saw a 12% decline on the week. Wyoming is among the worst ratings with 57% of its pasture and rangelands now rating 57% very poor to poor.
Those dry conditions are not helping wildfire outbreaks in Wyoming.
Those fires have prompted an emergency order through next week.
Hazardous conditions have created a shortage of livestock feed, depleteing pasture grass and natural feed supplies. The order eases restrictions on the transportation of livestock and feed.
The fires have already resulted in livestock losses.
“Unfortunately, we heard reports of a number of burned cattle as well as damage to infrastructure such as fencing across the region,” Meteorologist Brad Rippey reported. “Two of the biggest fires burning in northeastern Wyoming and one of those on into southeastern Montana. The Remington Fire, almost 200,000 acres. it started on August 22nd— cause unknown. It is now mostly contained, 86% contained, but with that 196,000 acres burned, a lot of that being farmland and ranchland, there are going to be some significant recovery efforts for that fire.”
A 175,000-acre wildfire in the northeastern part of Wyoming is also causing problems and is 94% contained.
