Aid May Not Be Enough for Lakes Area Farmers and Ranchers Dealing with Drought

DETROIT LAKES (KDLM) – Weather forecasters are now indicating that this summer has been one of the driest on record.

Nearly half of the state is now experiencing severe drought including in most of the Lakes Area and North Central Minnesota.

Representative Paul Marquart says the drought has hit farmers and ranchers especially hard, “farmers are having to sell their cattle because they can’t afford the feed or have feed because of the lack of hay.”

Marquart believes the Governor will sign a drought aid package during the state’s September special session. The state aid would be in addition to $17 million in drought and wildfire disaster assistance the State received last week from the Federal Government. Specifics on how the Federal or State aid would be distributed are not yet clear.

Marquart says the aid will help, but what we really need is rain, “we need a couple really good day long soakers that can really get that water into the soil.”