Pasture and Rangeland Conditions Update

Pasture and Rangeland Conditions Update

Across the nation, for the most part last week's extreme heat did not dramatically affect pasture and rangeland's condition. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that the South has been gripped with drought and that may have caused in part the condition ratings to decrease

Ripley: "Now just 53 percent nationally good to excellent that is down 3 points from a week ago. So what we are seeing is those previous good to excellent ratings falling into the fair category. In terms of pasture conditions, a lot of those problems again across the South generally from Texas to the Carolinas."

In Colorado according to the most recent Crop Progress Report only 8 percent of the pasture and rangeland conditions were reported poor to very poor, 24 percent fair and 68 percent good to excellent. And although last year had adequate moisture and looked similar to this year's conditions — the five year average is 44 percent poor to very poor, 22 percent fair and only 34 percent good to excellent.

In Idaho the pasture and range conditions were reported to be 3 percent poor to very poor, 21 percent fair, 76 percent good to excellent.

Rippey shares Oregon's ratings

Rippey: "In the West you expect some browning out this time year. Not much rain as you move into the far West as a result we see some pretty brown conditions. Oregon, for example, is 36 percent good to excellent down 2 points, and 37 percent poor to very poor — kind of standing out."

In Washington Pasture and range conditions were reported to be 10 percent poor to very poor, 22 percent fair, 68 percent good to excellent."

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