Wisconsin Farmers Asked To Help Drought Stricken North Dakota.
Wisconsin farmers are being asked to help drought stricken North Dakota.
Because of the drought, ranchers in North Dakota don’t have enough hay or usable pasture land for their cattle, said Donna Gilson, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary spokeswoman.
Wisconsin farmers can help by bringing hay to North Dakota ranchers, or by bringing their cattle to Wisconsin to pasture.
"They haven’t had a lot of precipitation, and they’ve had very high temperatures, high winds, and all those have combined to dry things out pretty well, so that there’s not a lot of hay or forage available right now, and what’s available is not in great condition for their cattle," Gilson said.
The conditions in North Dakota may come as a surprise to some who live in Wisconsin, because of heavy rains here this spring.
"There is a fair amount of the Midwest that is in pretty dry conditions right now.
In a news release, DATCP secretary Ben Brancel said, "Wisconsin farmers have always had big hearts, and this is one more way they can help out their neighbors, even neighbors who are two states away."
Gilson said the rain has been a mixed blessing in Wisconsin.
Storms delayed planting and damaged some crops last week, but others got a jump-start from the wet weather.

Burgum declares statewide fire, drought emergency.
North Dakota Gov.
Doug Burgum has proclaimed a statewide fire and drought emergency, ordering state agencies to “maintain high levels of readiness.” The executive order, issued Monday following a meeting of state agencies that was closed to the public, activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and authorizes the North Dakota National Guard to activate, if needed.
Drought conditions and high winds have created a fire emergency in North Dakota.
The U.S. Drought Monitor report released last week showed 8 percent of the state in extreme drought, 32 percent in severe drought, 27 percent in moderate drought and 33 percent abnormally dry.
The conditions have increased the fire risk for North Dakota, with 30 counties issuing emergency declarations, burn bans or other fire restrictions.
“These conditions present a serious threat to the health and safety of local area citizens and their personal property,” Burgum said in a statement.
“Significant manpower and equipment will be required for response and recovery operations.” Last week, Burgum directed the Department of Emergency Services and other state agencies to coordinate drought and wildfire planning and response efforts.
Information about drought and fire conditions, including counties with burn bans and fireworks restrictions, is available at NDresponse.gov.

Besides that, his family’s herd had expanded from 100 to about 400, the old corrals tended to get too wet, and his son, Greg, was coming home to join the operation.
On June 20, the Wanner feedlot was one of four stops during the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association’s 15th annual feedlot tour.
The new corrals at the Wanner place are made of metal pipe, keeping the cattle away from the dangers of road and track.
The sunflowers they planted were coming up, but one of the rare storms that came through the area brought hail, destroying 70 percent of the crop.
They might try to utilize the sunflowers as feed, though they aren’t close enough to the ranch to make that practical.
Scott Ressler, environmental services director for the Stockmen’s Association, said struggles with drought were the story throughout the feedlot tour.
The dry conditions may be an opportunity for some of the feedlots in the area, if they have feed available, he said.
The annual feedlot tour attracts 50 to 200 people, Ressler said.
After 15 years of putting on the tour, Ressler said he’s still surprised to see how much people can learn by walking around a selection of the state’s feedlots.
"It just gives us a lot of options to make a living versus just farming," Wanner said.

Drought conditions increase fire risk for ND.
Drought conditions are making many areas of North Dakota vulnerable to fires, prompting the state Forest Service to closely watch the threat level and prepare to deploy firefighting resources to areas that need help.
Ryan Melin, fire manager for the North Dakota Forest Service, said indicators that predict the potential for fire and its severity are more serious now than in previous years in June.
North Dakota Gov.
Burgum, who discussed the drought Thursday during the State Water Commission meeting, said he’s strongly encouraging all cities and counties to take a hard look at banning fireworks and open fires, something many communities have already adopted.
“We’ve got some real fire risk potentially coming,” Burgum said.
Information about current burn restrictions is available at NDResponse.gov, along with other drought information.
Burgum also ordered the formation of a unified command structure with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, Department of Agriculture and other state agencies to coordinate the state’s drought response.
Meanwhile, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue released Conservation Reserve Program acres in North Dakota for emergency grazing, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said Friday.
Burgum’s drought declaration also activated the drought disaster livestock water supply program for 26 North Dakota counties.

BISMARCK, N.D. — Parts of North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota now are considered in extreme drought.
Extreme drought is the second worst category of drought after exceptional drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The June 20 U.S. Drought Monitor, released June 22, showed 7.73 percent of North Dakota, 6.37 percent of Montana and 2.07 percent of South Dakota in extreme drought.
North Dakota also has 32.17 percent of its land in severe drought, 27.44 percent in moderate drought and 32.64 percent considered abnormally dry.
In North Dakota, the worst conditions earlier were in the central part of the state, but the June 22 release shows drought spreading and worsening throughout western North Dakota.
Bruce Schmidt, North Dakota State University Burleigh County ag and natural resource agent, says Burleigh County and other hard-hit areas received some rain, more than 2 inches in places, but counties to the west weren’t as lucky.
Montana’s worst conditions remain in the northeast, while South Dakota’s worst conditions remain in the north.
"The cool season grasses never received that April or May showers and because of that, we just missed out on that growing season completely," he explains.
Corn ranges from good to marginal, but the question whether it will make grain or have to be used as silage remains, Schmidt says.
Small grains are very short and are heading out, so some producers are thinking of cutting and baling it for livestock forage for themselves or to sell, Schmidt says.

The State Water Commission voted Thursday to activate a drought disaster program to help North Dakota ranchers get water to livestock in extremely dry parts of the state.
The program would provide $250,000 in state dollars to help fund water supply projects such as new wells or hookups to water pipelines to help livestock producers in areas with extreme drought.
Gov.
Burgum said he’s been meeting with leaders of state and federal agencies to address the severe drought conditions facing North Dakota, including taking steps toward establishing a joint information center to coordinate state resources.
“This is one important piece of a much broader statewide response that we’re working on,” Burgum said.
Drought conditions continue to worsen in North Dakota, with 8 percent of the state listed in extreme drought.
“A lot of cattle are being sold," said Water Commissioner George Nodland of Dickinson.
"It’s sad.” Under the drought disaster livestock water supply program, the state will fund up to half of a water supply project, such as rural water system connections, pipeline extensions, pasture taps, stock water tanks and other projects, for producers in the affected counties.
The maximum available is $3,500 per project, with each producer eligible for up to three projects.
More information, including a map of the counties included in the program, is expected to be available Friday and posted to the State Water Commission website, swc.nd.gov.

Drought worsens in Bismarck, Mandan areas.
Nearly 8 percent of the state, including Bismarck and Mandan, is seeing worsening conditions as the U.S. Drought Monitor’s rating of the area moved today from severe to extreme drought.
On Wednesday, the North Dakota Farmers Union urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to open Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing due to widespread drought.
“Feed supplies are deteriorating fast, hay is in short supply due to last year’s harsh winter, and ranchers are facing the difficult decision of whether to downsize their herd.
It is an emergency situation.” The United States Drought Monitor places all of North Dakota in at least abnormally dry conditions.
Parts of Southwest North Dakota also are experiencing extreme drought conditions along with portions of Divide and Williams counties in the northwest corner of the state.
On Saturday, Bismarck received .4 inches of rain, according to Weather Underground records.
“It’s going to be cool and breezy this weekend … borderline unpleasant to those accustomed to the hot weather we typically see this time of the year," he said.
“This roundtable is an opportunity for producers, ag groups and agencies to discuss the current drought situation in North Dakota and the options available to producers,” Goehring said.
“Topics will include the status of the drought, forage quality and livestock management strategies, crop insurance forage options and the Farm Service Agency process to access Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing.” Kevin Sedivic, rangeland specialist for North Dakota State University Extension Carl Dahlen, animal scientist for NDSU Extension Shad Weber, senior risk management specialist for the United States Department of Agriculture Brad Olson, manager of the North Dakota Farm Service Agency Conservation Program

Drought hurts duck population in North Dakota.
The number of breeding ducks in North Dakota has dropped below 3 million for the first time in nearly a quarter century, and drought in parts of the state this summer could make matters even worse.
A state Game and Fish Department spring survey that gives hunters their first glimpse of how duck numbers might shape up for the fall hunt indicates about 2.95 million birds.
That’s a drop of 15 percent from last year and the first time since 1994 that the number dropped below 3 million.
Breeding duck numbers peaked at a record 5.4 million birds in 2002.
A lot of idled farmland has since been put back into production, however.
There was more water available to ducks in the state at the time of the May survey than there was last year, but that’s misleading because temporary and seasonal wetlands "were struggling to hang on," Szymanski said.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows all of North Dakota being either abnormally dry or in some stage of drought, with about 27 percent of the state in severe drought.
Even if the weather turns around, "it would help us out with the migration and staging ducks during the hunting season, but it’s a little late to turn anything around as far as reproduction," Szymanski said.
Historically speaking, the spring duck survey in North Dakota also is still 23 percent above the long-term average, a 69-year period that dates to 1948.

DICKINSON, N.D.—Burn bans and restrictions across North Dakota may likely prevent Fourth of July fireworks in some counties in the western part of the state.. More than half of the state has issued county or tribal burn restrictions, according to the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services website.
While some counties follow the daily fire danger rating to determine whether burn restrictions are in place that day, others have banned fireworks this year regardless.
Other counties, such as Hettinger and McKenzie County, have burn restrictions in place so that burning is not allowed when the rating is "high," "very high" and "extreme."
"Yes, there was rain received, but as far as blanketing the whole county and preventing from danger, we are not there," said Denise Brew, Dunn County emergency manager.
They were able to put it out without any major threat to homes or other structures.
Billings County Sheriff and Emergency Manager Pat Rummel said his county issued a burn ban on May 2 that follows the fire rating, so restrictions are in place when the rating exceeds "moderate."
When the rating reaches "high" or above, the ban stipulates: • No travel off surfaced roadways except as necessary for farmers, ranchers or industry operations • Industrial crews, farmers and ranchers need to have fire extinguishers and normal firefighting equipment at hand and remain on the site 30 minutes after operations are completed • Smoking is restricted to inside buildings or vehicles • Bans open burning including fireworks, garbage and pit burning and campfires Rummel also said he was concerned around the holiday that people would light off fireworks in more remote areas in the county, which would take fire departments longer to respond to.
McKenzie County Emergency Manager Karolin Jappe checks the fire index every morning to let people know whether the county’s burn restrictions are in place — a practice she will continue all summer.
After approval, the resident has 60 days to light a single fire on a day that permits burning, meaning when the rating is "moderate" or lower.
She asked that they call 911 immediately if they see smoke rather than attempting first to put it out themselves, noting it is better to get help on the way as quickly as possible just in case.

Pipeline oil, and protests, keep flowing at Dakota Access pipeline.
WASHINGTON — Oil will continue to flow through the underground Dakota Access pipeline during the summer while authorities conduct additional review of the environmental impact, after a judge Wednesday ordered more court hearings.
The tribes said the 1,170-mile pipeline that starts in North Dakota and ends at a hub in Illinois — crossing 18 counties in Iowa along the way — violates their hunting, fishing and environmental rights.
On Wednesday, Boasberg set out a schedule of hearings that will decide what will happen to the line while additional review is completed.
The pipeline began commercially shipping crude oil June 1.
The company said Wednesday it was “pleased with the judge’s decision” for operations to continue while the process “unfolds.” The Native American tribes have been protesting the line’s construction for more than a year, notably near Cannon Ball, N.D.
Opponents argued that the route threatens tribal drinking water supplies where it crosses the Missouri River and disrupts sacred lands.
Thousands of protesters from around the world gathered at a “spirit camp” near the river crossing, many enduring a bitter Plains winter before disbanding when the disputed river segment was bored underground.
Earlier this month, Iowa regulators scolded the pipeline developers after they allowed documents showing they had the required $25 million worth of insurance to lapse.
Additionally, environmentalists asked the state regulators to shut down the pipeline pending the new environmental review.