Many South Dakota farmers and ranchers are still digging out from the Christmas storm. The weather event brought heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds to the state and knocked power out to about 19,000 rural electric cooperative customers. South Dakota Stock Growers President Bill Kluck, who ranches near Mud Butte in Meade County, says the wind and electrical outages have been the biggest problem for livestock producers.

He says the good news is there were no major livestock losses with the storm. It just created some minor challenges for livestock producers.

Kluck says one challenge is that his feed costs have gone up substantially with the storm and recent cold temperatures.

Kluck says he hasn’t heard of any hay shortages yet.