PIERRE, S.D. (KELO AM) Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) has declared a statewide emergency because of the widespread drought conditions in South Dakota.
The official declaration will ease haying and transportation restrictions on struggling farmers and ranchers.
“The drought has really hurt grass and hay production in much of the state, which is making our ag producers scramble to keep livestock fed. I’m hopeful that these changes will help keep livestock on the farm until the drought breaks,” says Daugaard.
Effective immediately, farmers and ranchers across the state may cut and bale state highway ditches adjacent to their property. The South Dakota Department of Transportation has suspended their mowing operations until July 5 to allow farmers to access more of the hay along the ditches.
Producers are now able to travel statewide without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to ease transport of feed in the drought stricken area. With the emergency drought disaster declaration federal trucking regulations are waived for the transportation of goods such as hay.
The north central part of South Dakota appears hardest hit by the drought.