Drought Plagues East Texas Farmers and Ranchers

NOONDAY — The continuing drought is taking a real toll on East Texas farmers and ranchers. Noonday feed store owner James Hand tells KETK he’s even heard from people who have had to leave the industry. Meanwhile, Austin Bank is busy trying to help. The bank’s Nathan Jones says ranchers will have to buy hay get through the winter. Both Jones and Hand point out that increasing prices for hay and other products are adding to the problem. And Jones notes that not only has hay gone up, but the ranchers are going to have to buy a lot more of it. But he says his bank is doing all it can about that and other problems. He says the bank has helped with irrigation, along with discussing well drilling and some people’s need to buy hay out of state.