Hurricane Moisture Improves Pastures

DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Hurricane Helene brought moisture to areas of the country where the rain was much needed. Helene brought improvements in pasture and range conditions despite her destruction, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report for the week ending Sept. 30.

Parts of the East Coast and Ohio Valley see pasture and range improvement because of the much-needed rain, but the hurricane's destruction led to other issues in some states. Ohio, Virginia and South Carolina have seen the biggest jump in improved pastures moving 17, 15 and 12 points of improvement respectively on the very poor-to-poor category. Ohio still has 76% of pastures in very poor-to-poor conditions, however.

Colorado continues to see poor pasture and range conditions, moving an additional 9 points into very poor to poor at 38% and only 25% in the good-to-excellent range. Wyoming saw a 9-point improvement in very poor-to-poor pastures, but still has 59% in this category and only 20% of rangeland rated good to excellent.

Nebraska also continues to see poor pastures, losing 11 points in the good-to-excellent range, down to 26% and 8 points more in the very poor-to-poor conditions at 41%.

New Mexico saw improvements this week of 14 points in the good-to-excellent category at 27% and a 10-point improvement in the very poor-to-poor category at 44%.

The No. 1 cow-calf state in the country, Texas, saw a 3-point improvement in good-to-excellent pastures up to 20%, and a 3-point improvement in very poor-to-poor conditions at 47%.

Online users can click on the accompanying maps to see changes in various states.

National Pasture and Range Conditions (48 states) in percent

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