Oklahoma farmers and ranchers will soon see additional drought relief money from the state

Oklahoma’s present drought is the worst the state has skilled in at the very least 10 years, and the dry, scorching climate situations are particularly hitting farmers and ranchers exhausting.

The bone-dry climate continues to make it troublesome to develop hay, and it hasn’t helped pastures develop for cattle to graze on. A scarcity of rain and rising feed prices have additionally pushed some livestock producers to make some robust selections, like feeding winter hay provide early.

“We usually aren’t even fascinated by feeding hay till at the very least one other 45 days,” mentioned livestock producer Josh Emerson. “And we’re already feeding just a little little bit of hay.”

To assist offset the detrimental prices of drought, Stitt signed a invoice on Oct. 4 to ship $20 million to the Emergency Drought Reduction Fund, which was established through the 2022 common legislative session. The $20 million is along with the $3 million in aid funds the Emergency Drought Fee allotted throughout the state’s 77 counties earlier this week.

“This yr’s excessive drought situations have created unprecedented challenges for our agricultural producers, and as governor, I’ll at all times do every part I can to assist Oklahoma’s nice farmers and ranchers,” Stitt mentioned in a press release. “I’m proud to have partnered up with the Legislature to ship this much-needed aid.”

All of Oklahoma is at the moment experiencing some form of drought, with a overwhelming majority of the state in a extreme to distinctive drought, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Emerson mentioned he’s felt the burdensome prices of drought and inflation firsthand this yr. He lately paid for a properly pump and pipeline set up to arrange an previous water properly, which value about $2,000. After it rained earlier in June, he paid $16,000 for a load of fertilizers, however solely acquired half of the cash again after it stopped raining later that month.

Not solely have the dry situations made it troublesome for Emerson to develop hay, nevertheless it’s additionally dried out a number of of the ponds his almost 400-cow herd depends on for water.

“I’ve acquired in all probability 20 to 25 ponds,” Emerson mentioned. “And I’d say eight of them are dry and a number of other others will probably be dry in a couple of weeks if we don’t get some runoff.”

However Emerson mentioned he’s hopeful the $20 million aid funds will particularly assist farmers and ranchers with water provide.

“It’s going to positively assist, Emerson mentioned. “I imply, it is only a drop within the bucket of what the necessity is, however it can positively assist.”

If the Emergency Drought Fee allocates the $20 million equally to its emergency drought aid program, initiatives that may qualify for aid funds would come with properly drilling, pumping services, pipeline, pasture faucet, watering services, heavy use space safety, cowl crop planting, forage and biomass planting (excluding Bermuda grass) and pond cleanout.

Whereas Emerson waits to use for drought aid funds at his native conservation district, he plans to proceed to wash out his ponds and transfer his cattle to the closest water tank his previous however newly working properly pumps into.

“There’s a complete lot of issues towards us,” Emerson mentioned. “However farmers and ranchers are everlasting optimists. So we’re gonna preserve doing what we do, and preserve praying for rain.”