Pastures are in such bad shape in the Dakotas and Montana that USDA is opening up Conservation Reserve lands to emergency grazing. Recent pasture condition ratings were 
looking very bad according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.
“North Dakota tops in the nation – 54% of the pasture and range rated very poor to poor,” he said. “Right behind is South Dakota at 49% and then coming on is Montana – up to 26%.”
Some producers are already having to cull herds according to Ag. Secretary Sonny Perdue. He says opening up CRP grazing will at least help some of those cattle producers.
