ABERDEEN, SD (KELO AM) - It wasn’t on the program, but drought dominated the discussions at the Governor’s Ag Summit in Aberdeen. South Dakota Lt. Governor Matt Michels says they have mobilized the Drought Task Force and are working with the financial community to find ways to keep producers in business.
Brown County farmer Craig Schaunamann says they received less than a half inch of rain in May and June wasn’t much better. He thinks row crops in his area can hold on for about another week with the hot dry weather and the spring wheat crop was a disaster.
State Climatologist Laura Edwards says this drought is similar to 2012 in intensity in the areas that are being impacted and Thursday’s Drought Monitor confirmed that.
She says as far as severity the extreme drought areas are now looking at a one in 30-year drought event. And so far, the extended forecast doesn’t show much relief. The extreme drought areas are in the north central part of the state.
(Thanks to Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton.)
