One thousand bales of hay are ready to be shipped to Refugio County from Oklahoma and another 2,000 are in reserve. A load of 30 to 38 1,000-pound round bales will be trucked to ranches for $49 per bale.

De-Go-La RC&D, Agri-Life Extension Service and Copano Bay Soil and Water Conservation District are partnering to supply ranchers with enough hay at a reasonable price to ensure that producers can weather the drought.

The hay will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

“This is an opportunity to get some good hay at a very respectable price,” said Jerry Gray, extension agent.

Gray said the hay will be Bermuda mix, Kansas Bluestem, Coastal Mix or Bahia Mix.

Applications are available at the NRCS office, the extension office and at the chamber of commerce. One applicant must purchase the entire load. Will Blackwell, of the local Natural Resource Conservation Service office, said they will hold applications for small producers who want less than a load until enough applications can be combined for a full order.

However, the hay will be delivered to one ranch, so those who partner for the load must work out the details on moving and splitting it up.

“In drought conditions, producers are urged to sell down to their core numbers,” Gray said. “This hay will help the ranchers to sustain their numbers so they can emerge from this drought with enough good animals to start increasing their herd size again.”

“These core animals will be the ones that help producers get back on their feet,” Gray said.

Although the scattered showers that have fallen over the past two weeks have turned pastures green again, the agents said it will take about 30 days to get enough growth for a cutting. But, there is not enough growing season left and a lot will depend on whether we get more rain, according to Blackwell

The agents are urging ranchers to apply quickly if they want to take advantage of this offer.

Lenny Anzaldua, the county’s DeGoLa, said Jerry Pierce has located more hay in Arkansas and Louisiana; however, the Oklahoma hay is the most affordable.

“The $49 includes all shipping fees,” Anzaldua said. “If we need more hay, we can get it from one of the other sources.”

Ranchers are not restricted from applying a second time during a second round of orders. As soon as all the local producers have received their orders, a second or even a third application will be possible, Anzaldua said, until everyone has what they need.

“This has been a rough 18 months for everybody,” Blackwell said. “Thank God for a second crop of mesquite beans.”