Arkansas Farmers React to Disaster Declaration Request
By: nwahomepage.com
Updated: July 11, 2012
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare statewide disaster because of drought conditions, and Arkansas farmers are feeling the effects.
"We've got more demand than what we can meet because we don't have the quality of pasture that we need to produce the beef," said Ron Morrow.
Drought conditions across the state are extreme.
"If we don't have rainfall and if we have too many hot days, then that animal doesn't eat as much and doesn't gain as much and doesn't put on as much fat and so that puts us behind."
Ron Morrow is a retired Natural Resources Conservation Service state grazing lands specialist and current full-time farmer. Morrow said he is feeling the direct impact of the extreme heat, as his cattle roam fields of dry grass with no green for acres.
"A two inch rain in thirty minutes is not really going to do us any good. We need a two day rain that soaks in to the ground and doesn't run off."
Morrow sells grass-fed beef, so a struggle to grow feed means a battle to produce the meat.
"We would really right now like to have grass that's about six inches tall and a good quality diet."
Without healthy pastures, his livelihood is at a standstill. At this point, all he wants is rain.
"The problem that we have is that it's going to take all four to six weeks after a good rain to have the quality of grass grow back that we want."
Farmers are not the only ones feeling the heat. It is taking a toll on everyone's wallet.
"We're already down in terms of numbers of animals and cattle, and so the price is up. Now, we come along and have this... That makes it even worse. The price of food is really going to go up."
As prices go up, Morrow said time runs out.
"If we don't have a good substantial rain in the next two to three weeks, we're really going to be in trouble."
Morrow said he is rotating his animals to different locations and pastures where there is greener grass, but even that comes at a cost. For now, Morrow is waiting on Mother Nature.
"We just cannot produce the product without grass."
"We've got more demand than what we can meet because we don't have the quality of pasture that we need to produce the beef," said Ron Morrow.
Drought conditions across the state are extreme.
"If we don't have rainfall and if we have too many hot days, then that animal doesn't eat as much and doesn't gain as much and doesn't put on as much fat and so that puts us behind."
Ron Morrow is a retired Natural Resources Conservation Service state grazing lands specialist and current full-time farmer. Morrow said he is feeling the direct impact of the extreme heat, as his cattle roam fields of dry grass with no green for acres.
"A two inch rain in thirty minutes is not really going to do us any good. We need a two day rain that soaks in to the ground and doesn't run off."
Morrow sells grass-fed beef, so a struggle to grow feed means a battle to produce the meat.
"We would really right now like to have grass that's about six inches tall and a good quality diet."
Without healthy pastures, his livelihood is at a standstill. At this point, all he wants is rain.
"The problem that we have is that it's going to take all four to six weeks after a good rain to have the quality of grass grow back that we want."
Farmers are not the only ones feeling the heat. It is taking a toll on everyone's wallet.
"We're already down in terms of numbers of animals and cattle, and so the price is up. Now, we come along and have this... That makes it even worse. The price of food is really going to go up."
As prices go up, Morrow said time runs out.
"If we don't have a good substantial rain in the next two to three weeks, we're really going to be in trouble."
Morrow said he is rotating his animals to different locations and pastures where there is greener grass, but even that comes at a cost. For now, Morrow is waiting on Mother Nature.
"We just cannot produce the product without grass."
