Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has authorized emergency haying on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands beginning July 16 through Aug. 30, 2017 for counties in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota designated as D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“They can get a permit from the South Dakota Department of Transportation, to provide them more areas for cutting hay.
Especially hard hit (as of July 8) is much of South Dakota, except southeastern and extreme southern South Dakota, and most of western North Dakota.
“2008 was the last time we’ve had these type of indicies showing drought coverage and intensity, so the drought today is the worst since 2008 in North Dakota,” said Adnan Akyuz, state climatologist for North Dakota, and professor of meteorology and climatology at North Dakota State University, on July 7.
The hay hotline website is http://ndda.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d9266e1cc231463399c585d7f0a39893 The Dakotas and Montana produce 75 percent of the nation’s spring wheat crop.
“The drought is impacting spring wheat prices,” said Laura Edwards, South Dakota State University Extension state climatologist.
The spring wheat markets, both cash and futures markets, have responded with a rapid increase in prices.
Currently, Bismarck is 4.50 inches of rainfall below normal.
“Last year at this time, we already had 13.05 inches of rain.” However, Hargrove said indications are for a short-term drought (less than six months.)
The webinar included Edwards, North Dakota agronomist Ryan Buetow and Doug Kluck, National Weather Service.