Ranchers tend to be optimists by nature. You have to be, when two of the biggest drivers of your profitability are markets and weather – two factors that are largely out of your control. Hopes for spring and summer are shaping up in some quarters to be anxious ones, as some university specialists are already beginning to advise producers on preparing for drought....More

In South Dakota, there’s an old saying that goes, “If you don’t like the weather now, just wait five minutes -- it will change.” While the state is known for its extremes, the weather has been consistently mild this year -- with little rain or snowfall since the spring of 2011. While calving season has been great, with limited challenges from cold temperatures or muddy conditions, there are growing concerns that a widespread drought could impact summer grazing and the 2012 harvest....More