Drought Affects Pacific Northwest Regions as well

There has been a lot of discussion centered around the drought in California but it is affecting portions of the Pacific Northwest as well.

President-elect of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association and Southeastern Oregon rancher John O'Keefe says that although the the summer was a bit dry they got through it. However he says the biggest concern is the snow pack

O'Keefe: "I think the snow pack is like at about 15 percent. It is a little too early to say about soil moisture. The soils are dry now but there is a lot of time for the rains before the growing season starts. We are concerned without a doubt but it is a little early to worry about soil moisture but the snow pack it is getting late enough in the year it's going to be hard for the snow pack to catch up."

O'Keefe is hopeful that this recent storm that moved through the region the last several days has done some good.

O'Keefe: "All hoping that we can get our snowpack up there where we can live with it and that we've got good soil moisture at the start of the growing season. I think you've kinda got to be an optimism to be in agriculture or it would be hard in the morning to get out of bed. This drought has really got us concerned at this point. There is time for things to get better but it's gotta happen. We're holding our breath."