Pasture Conditions Continue To Struggle Across the Southwest

When it comes to pasture and rangelands across the U.S., it is a tale of two countries.  Roughly half, 51% of the nation’s pastures and rangelands rated good to excellent in the final week of June.  Meanwhile, 20% was rated very poor to poor.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey said the Southwestern U.S. and southern plains are dealing with the worst conditions.

“The monsoon rains can’t come soon enough in places like Arizona where rangeland is 88% very poor to poor, or New Mexico at 66% [very poor to poor].”

Other states where pasture land is struggling include Colorado and Texas.  But Rippey said here in the Northwest, conditions are still on the positive side.  However, hot conditions in the coming days could dry those pastures out quickly.

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