SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) —The Nebraska wildfires have destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of grassland that many ranchers use to feed their cattle. It’s a sad reality that has provoked sympathy from ranchers in South Dakota.

“When your family’s in the ranching business, that’s your whole life. It’s your whole livelihood. And, you know, you’re caretakers of these creatures. And, to be without food, you know, without feed for them, when it’s your way of life. That’s just a horrible place to be,” SD Cattlemen’s Foundation board member, Ty Eschenbaum said.

South Dakota ranchers were motivated to help out in a way only they could– by donating hay.

“They’re sending us right in the burn footprint. So we’re going into that Arthur, Oshkosh, Lakeside areas, where they were hit the hardest. They’re telling us that the hay that we are bringing down will be completely fed by the end of the weekend,” Kingsbury County Cattlemen’s Association, Laurie Casper said.

But it’s not cheap getting the hay to Nebraska.

“The price of fuel is astronomical. And, you know, we’re trying to get these trucks going those 39,800 miles total. Definitely a huge bill to flip,” Casper said.

That’s why the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation has a way for you to help get that hay across state lines. They are matching up to $10,000 dollars worth of donations.

“It’s a lot of fuel. So that’s exactly where our dollars are going and the dollars that we help fundraise. And anybody that wants to join in and help us, 100% of your funds are going to this effort,” Eschenbaum said.

Neighbors helping neighbors, hundreds of miles apart.

“It’s very taxing, you know, this time of year. Calving cows, starting to breed cows, feeding cows, worried about the drought. And, you know, if I’m going to have enough pasture, so to get hit with a fire that takes out everything, on top of all of that, I think it’s pretty easy for other cattlemen to say, hey, we got to help,” Eschenbaum said.

Nebraska is heading into the 2026 growing season with limited precipitation and groundwater resources. Growers are also facing rising input costs and declining commodity prices, forcing many to rethink how much risk they can afford to carry with irrigated corn and soybeans.

“In years like this, even small shifts in cropping strategy can help protect both yield and profitability,” said Dipak Santra, Nebraska Extension Alternative Crops Breeding specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center. “Alternative crops such as proso millet and field pea offer lower water and nitrogen requirements, making them potential tools for reducing risk in water-limited systems.”

Water limitations are not the only concern for farmers this season. The risk of yield loss could be exacerbated by skyrocketing N-fertilizer prices resulting from the war in the Middle East. The U.S. fertilizer industry depends heavily on imports, and the nation’s prices have reportedly jumped roughly 32 percent in the past few weeks. Prices are expected to rise if the international crisis is prolonged. 

“With spring planting approaching, these price increases present additional challenges for producers already managing tight margins,” said Rituraj Khound, UNL post-doctoral research associate. At the same time, corn and soybean market prices have declined by 50 percent and 40 percent, respectively, since 2022. 

ALTERNATIVE CROPS

Santra and Khound suggest growers consider alternative cereal millet (proso millet and/or grain sorghum), a crop recognized for its ability to efficiently utilize moisture for producing a considerable yield. Its shallow, fibrous root system effectively takes up early-season water from the topsoil while conserving deeper soil water for subsequent crops. 

“Another crop, field pea, is a widely grown pulse crop that is gaining popularity in Nebraska and global health food markets as a source of plant proteins due to its nutrient-dense seeds,” Santra said. “It is also suitable for animal feed as soybean.” 

Field peas provide several advantages. Biological nitrogen (N) fixation, enhanced rotation efficiency with cereals, reduced fertilizer requirements, and adaptation to semi-arid conditions due to its early maturity and low seasonal water use. Field pea also helps interrupt common disease cycles when introduced into cereal rotations. 

Nebraska is among the states with notable field pea production. In 2025, USDA NASS cited Nebraska farmers harvested approximately 566,667 bushels of field peas from 20,000 acres of farmland. 

Dryland millet and peas are both low-input crops that require considerably less seasonal precipitation and minimal fertilizer and herbicide applications, thereby reducing production costs. 

In addition to lowering input requirements, both crops contribute to soil health. Field pea supports soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and enhanced soil microbial activity, while millet increases soil organic matter deposition, improves soil aggregation, and helps reduce erosion. Together, these crops offer a practical way to improve system resilience and maintain productivity in water-limited environments.   

In the face of a challenging growing season, Nebraska farmers could consider diversifying their farms by planting a small portion (e.g., 10-25 percent of the total acreage) of corn with millet, depending on feasibility and resources available on their farms. A similar approach could be used to reduce risk in soybean systems by allocating a portion of acres to dryland field pea.

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – On Tuesday, Nebraska lawmakers could pass a bill making it easier for your student to attend a trade school.

Demeria Bruce has owned Fulton Homes Education Center in Millard since 2020. They are an accredited postsecondary school providing training in the healthcare industry.

Since the pandemic, she says the need for certified healthcare workers is growing.

“A lot of people are getting older so healthcare workers are really tremendous right now,” said Bruce. “Home healthcare, hospitals, especially geriatrics, working in long term care, stuff like that.”

Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg is optimistic LB 748 can help fill a crucial need for skilled labor in the state.

“These are jobs that are needed in Nebraska and to expand 529 to use those funds for those types of education purposes is just great,” said Spellerberg.

If passed, 748 would match federal changes to 529 plans by raising the amount you can use per year from $10,000 to $20,000 for K-12 education.

“That starts in January of 2029 and at that point you will be able to use those dollars for tutoring, books, for other things associated with your education,” explained Spellerberg.

The bill would also allow for that money to be used for trade schools. The hope is to get more people certified in a trade to fill gaps in many industries around the state.

“It is not just a 4 year university, its not just a community college now. It’s looking what the future workforce looks like in Nebraska and making sure those dollars that you save can be used to fill the jobs that we have.”

It is something that will help folks like Demeria Bruce get more students certified.

“I think the proposed bill is really going to help out because that short term education would really help people especially now,” said Bruce. “If they have bills and stuff like that they can come and get their certification and get out there and start to work.”

First Alert 6 spoke with Denise Magill who owns Quality Career Pathways. She agrees the bill is a great step in getting more people into the workforce.

“What LB 748 does is a great way for people to figure out through a certificate if this is the career path that they want to go before they continue to invest more and commit more financially,” explained Magill.

Magill tells First Alert 6 says these certificates are just the tip of the iceberg and could lead to more programs becoming available.

“We have been exploring mental health certificates and things to advance just to build upon even more,” said Magill.

Demeria Bruce tells First Alert 6 Fulton Homes is also expanding its programing later this year. She is partnering with Non-Stop Development to include training for the construction industry.

LB 748 will hit the legislature floor for a final reading Tuesday morning. Lawmakers will vote to pass the bill after debate.

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