More in Drought Management Resources

If weather helps restore feed and forage supplies this summer, a more aggressive expansion of beef heifers should be anticipated beginning in the fall of 2013 and continuing into 2014," says Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension agricultural economist....More

Ranchers in arid and semi-arid country are used to dry weather, but the current drought is much, much more than just “dry weather.” And as it spreads into parts of the country that aren’t accustomed to drought management, the lessons that ranchers in the Southwest and Great Plains have learned become applicable on a wider scale....More

The quality of hay fed to a beef heifer the next 60 days of winter will determine the vigor of her calf to be born next spring—and whether she can rebreed to calve the next year.   The amount of fat on a heifer’s back determines the care she needs, says Justin Sexten, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist. His concern includes condition of cows in a herd, but heifers pregnant with first calves need extra nutrition.  ...More

For beef producers who have weathered two years of drought and related challenges, there was a feeling of optimism as they assembled in Santa Clara for the annual meeting of the California Cattlemen's Association (CCA)....More

Wheat prices are expected to hold well into next year, and farmland values are expected to stay strong. Beef cattle prices likely will remain strong as well but producers must manage production costs, especially feed, closely. Farmers and ranchers also will face more rules and regulations as the pace for regulatory change continues to increase for farms and small businesses....More

USDA is helping ranchers learn how to keep some green on their land even during drought. Preserving vegetation near creeks on ranches was the goal of a recent USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) workshop in central West Texas. Ranchers got advice on how to keep riparian areas – the green bands that lie between the drier uplands and the water in the creek itself – healthy. Riparian areas not only slow runoff but lock in soil moisture during wet weather to provide flexibility during times of drought....More

September’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates lowered the season-average corn price 30¢/bu. on both ends of the range to $7.20-$8.60.bu. That reflects U.S. corn supplies projected to be 108 million bu. higher than the previous month’s estimate......More

Iowa State University Extension specialists suggest a forage test of beef cattle feed is only as good as the sample assayed; they recommend sampling forages by “lot.” This may be a field or cutting, but is always a distinct entity....More

Recognizing that recovery from the drought that affected much of the farm belt will be a lengthy process, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the scheduling of four regional meetings which will outline available resources to assist with local, regional and state recovery efforts. USDA will coordinate with State and local partners, working closely with the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to facilitate these meetings....More