- Wildfires burn nearly 775,000 acres in Nebraska
- Land is a grazing resource for about 40,000 cows
- Producers look for alternative pasture lands, feed
Massive wildfires have burned vast swaths of grazing lands in Nebraska, endangering cattle producers' plans for production increases that could help ease record-high U.S. beef prices.
The loss of grasslands in the second-biggest cattle-producing state removes a feed source for herds and could delay ranchers from expanding as they struggle with widespread drought, state and industry officials said.
Fueled by fierce winds, fires have burned nearly 775,000 acres since last week, covering an area about the size of Rhode Island, according to data from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. It added the causes of the fires are undetermined.
The largest Morrill Fire was about 67% contained as of Thursday after being first reported on March 12, the agency said.
That amount of land is a grazing resource for about 40,000 cows, said Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Though cattle deaths were thought to be minimal, producers could delay expansion plans if they cannot find alternative pasture lands or feed, she said.
"This will have a definite impact because you are in the heart of cattle country there and that's the area where you're going to primarily have breeding stock," said Vinton, a fifth-generation rancher.
Nationwide, cattle inventories have dwindled to a 75-year low over the past seven years as an extended drought raised feeding costs and high prices drove producers to send animals to slaughter instead of keeping them for breeding.
Tight supplies pushed up beef prices. They also hurt profits for meatpackers paying more for cattle to slaughter, and Tyson Foods (TSN.N), opens new tab closed a large beef plant in Nebraska this year.
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