Pasture to Pen

We are in agriculture. We are resilient.

I heard a cattle producer recently say we (cattle producers) are never happy. When we have too much rain, we complain. When we are in drought, we complain. When it's too hot, we complain. When it's too cold, we complain.

We really aren't always that miserable. More than anything, we are resilient -- and maybe we should be a little more optimistic. As another friend and producer explained, most of us are unapologetically passionate about our industry. We will do what it takes to stay afloat and make our operations better.

WILDFIRES AND DROUGHT RESHAPE THE LANDSCAPE

Over the past several days, I drove through some areas affected by wildfires and extreme drought. It amazes me how you can drive a few hours from home and see such a difference in pastures.

Thankfully, some of these areas have irrigation pivots bringing much-needed moisture to some producers' crops and hay fields to provide feed for their herds.

Specifically, in the wildfire-hit areas of Nebraska, producers have had to find creative ways to manage their herds. Some have had to sell some of their cows. Others have shipped cows a few hours away to grass. And still others are providing feed to their animals, which normally would be grazing this time of year.

Nearly 1 million acres have burned this year in Nebraska, and those producers are not putting cattle on that delicate land this year. While most of the affected areas are greening up, they need time to rest. I was amazed at how much sand had moved in the Sandhills and was told that, in some areas, the landscape looks much different than it did before the wildfires.

A REGION-WIDE CHALLENGE

The drought continues in much of Nebraska, Colorado and other states in cow country. Those of us in Iowa and other Midwest states haven't had severe dry spells and should remember our friends to the west when marketing extra hay.

Drought and rainfall can be relative to the area and some just don't receive the amount others do. The soils and grasses have also become resilient -- like the farmers and ranchers -- and can survive some of the worst conditions.

We will continue to pray for rain in the areas that need it and hope those producers can either find needed feed or welcoming homes for their cattle.

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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