Pasture Quality Improving but Still Low in Northwest

Recent rains and cooler temperatures have helped pasture quality in the Northwest, but USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says there are still concerns.

It starts with Montana which has the worst pasture quality in the nation 65 percent rated very poor to poor.

Rippey said, “We have seen improvements over the past week in almost all of the Northwestern states, but we’re still at or above 45 percent [very poor to poor] across that region including Washington, Oregon and the Dakotas.”

According to the U.S. Drought monitor, as of Oct. 3^rd, all but the Southwest corner of Washington was either abnormally dry or in a moderate drought condition. In Oregon, the Northeast from about mid-state to the Idaho border were in a moderate drought with about half the state at least abnormally dry.