Oklahoma Ranchers Helping Feed Cattle Across The Southeast

Rainy weather early this summer has led to a bumper hay crop across Oklahoma, but many parts of the country aren't nearly as lucky. Drought conditions in the Southeast are hitting ranchers hard, but

Thursday, September 13th 2007, 5:45 pm

By: News On 6

Rainy weather early this summer has led to a bumper hay crop across Oklahoma, but many parts of the country aren't nearly as lucky. Drought conditions in the Southeast are hitting ranchers hard, but News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports Oklahomans are stepping in to help.

The past few years, Oklahoma ranchers have been in a bind, often having to sell off cattle because of the lack of hay here. Now things have changed, and they're helping others facing the same dire situation this year.

Across Oklahoma a full, growing hay field is a welcome sight this year. Chris Powell can't remember a year this good.

"We're probably going to be bailing â€˜til after frost or â€˜til frost gets here. I'm going to go as long as I can," rancher Chris Powell said.

Powell has much more hay than he needs and plenty more to cut, but that hasn't always been the case. Last year, Oklahoma ranchers had to get hay from other states, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa even as far away as South Dakota. But this year is a much different story. Powellâ€™s field and another nearby would normally produce about 60 of the big bales, this year theyâ€™ll bale 130. So Powell is shipping off much of his hay to Tennessee where ranchers are coping with drought.

"We've got a lot of extra hay left that we're not going to need, so we're trying to help them out as best we can and get it to them as cheap as we can," said Powell.

"To be able to turn that round and help out folks in Tennessee that's just tremendous," said Randy Burris, County Extension Agent.

Leaders in Tennessee worked out arrangements through the McIntosh County Extension Office to get the Oklahoma hay where it is needed.

"It's just exactly like what we were last year. They haven't had hardly any rain all summer, they haven't made much hay at all, they're down to selling cows because once you run out of hay you can't hardly afford to keep the cows around," Burris said.

"I'm trying to send them the best quality hay that we can get. And I think we're going to be able to get them everything they need," said Powell.

Which is about 5,000 bales to start. The first ones arrived just north of Nashville a few days ago and more will soon be headed that way.

The McIntosh County Extension Office is working to provide a list of hay producers to state agriculture leaders in Tennessee. The number to call is 918-689-7772. Then arrangements can be made to send the loads of hay.

Watch the video: Local Farmers Helping Out In Other States