Pasture and range conditions across the U.S. have improved since last year, but conditions are poor in the Plains. As Kansas sets records for the worst conditions in history, one livestock economist thinks more cow culling could happen this year.
USDA’s first national look at pasture and range conditions shows 33% is rated good to excellent and 37% is poor to very poor. While the picture has improved from last year, a deeper dive shows some states are rivaling the worst conditions since 2013.
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says Kansas currently has the lowest rangeland/pasture condition on record for the modern era, which is based on the Condition Index.
