– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University
The weekly Crop Progress reports released by USDA-NASS start including information about pasture conditions in May of each year. We now have two weeks of data, and the news is generally positive for the Southeast. As shown in the chart below, roughly 12 percent of pasture in the Southeast region is classified as either poor or very poor. This is similar to 2024 and also to the 5-year average for early May.
There was variation within the region. Alabama had only 4 percent of pasture rated as poor or very poor and 82 percent classified as good or excellent. Florida had 37 percent poor or very poor and only 17 percent rated as good or excellent. Arkansas was 11 percent poor or very poor, Tennessee was 8 percent poor or very poor, Mississippi was 7 percent poor or very poor, Kentucky was 6 percent poor or very poor. The southeast region includes AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV for this dataset.
Pasture conditions have typically worsened as spring turns to summer and fall. 2024 was an example of a year with significantly weaker pasture conditions in the summer months. Nearly 30 percent of Southeast pasture was poor or very poor in early July 2024. As with any other year, pasture conditions will have a significant impact on producers’ decisions in 2025.
At the national level (chart below), pasture conditions are a little worse than they were at this point in 2024. About 35 percent of U.S. range and pasture were classified as poor or very poor last week compared to about 25 percent a year ago. Conditions in the Great Plains region are the weakest of any region at 39 percent poor or very poor. Nebraska had 52 percent of pasture as poor or very poor and only 15 percent as good or excellent.
There will be increased attention on pasture conditions, hay production, and general forage availability this year given where we are in the cattle cycle. Record high prices will incentivize expansion – but only if pasture and forage availability support producers’ desired stocking rates.
