South Dakota ranchers have been satisfied with the government response to the drought. VeaBea Thomas with the Thomas Ranch near Harrold says USDA’s emergency release of CRP for haying and grazing is coming just in the nick of time.

She says they’ll also be getting some assistance from USDA’s Livestock Forage Program, which was also triggered by the Drought Monitor, as was CRP release. Thomas says they were fortunate they only had to cull a small group of cattle, as they were able to move their herd to temporary pasture.

Stacy Hadrick says at their ranch near Faulkton the pastures dried up early and they had to cull some of their older cows and wean early.

She says so far they haven’t had to buy hay, but may need to purchase some feed to get through the winter.

Hadrick says being forced to cull cattle from their herds has been an emotional decision for many cattle producers that have worked their entire lives to build herd genetics.