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Western Corn Belt pasture conditions variable

A climatologist says pasture conditions have been mixed across the parts of the Western Corn Belt and Great Plains.

Eric Hunt with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says, “Pretty stressed pasture conditions across Wyoming, western Nebraska, western South Dakota, and western North Dakota,” Hunt said. “Better conditions further east, although pastures have definitely started to show some stress across portions of Kansas and eastern portions of Colorado as well.”

But rangelands are in much better shape in Iowa, according to state ag secretary Mike Naig. “On the cattle side, I’m talking to a lot of (farmers) about good hay numbers,” Naig said. “They are growing some grass this year and refilling some ponds.”

Naig says 2024 has been a bounce back year for cattle producers after multiple years of extreme drought conditions.