Buffalo County: ‘Worst drought since 1976’.
That summer, the government came through with some assistance and Sinkie was able to make two trips a week to North Dakota for hay.
With little rainfall this year the Sinkie family is reminded of 1976, and they’ve already started looking for hay to get their cattle through the winter months and, possibly, wondering if government assistance will come soon.
With severe drought conditions being reported in six northern South Dakota counties, aid is expected to come to ranchers through the Livestock Forage Program, according to the Associated Press on Friday.
It was the first crop and should have yielded 60 bales.
"But I had to get the first crop off, so if it does rain the second will come."
Even though seed technology has improved to help with drought resistance with very dry conditions "it will help some but not much."
With little crops for feed and little hay, they are looking to keep as many cows as they can through the rest of the summer and the winter months.
According to Sinkie, if no more cattle are sold this summer they will need 600 bales to make it through the winter.
With dry conditions creating dust storms and little crops left to grow the rest of this season is looking grim.