The Less Romantic Side of Farm Life

A early season blizzard in South Dakota has killed between 10,000 and 20,000 cows. Some farmers are reporting a loss of 30% and even 50% of their herds. Al Jazeera has a really well-reported story about how farmers are coping (for now: on their own, since the government is shut). The line that explains the loss: “Those calves were this year’s paycheck. The cows were bred to produce next summer’s paycheck. Producers are really reeling from that.”

The cows were still in their summer pastures. It isn’t supposed to blizzard in October.

Support The Billfold

The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.