With much of South Dakota facing drought, ranchers are making adjustments to protect their land and cattle. For some, those changes have been years in the making.

Jim Faulstich bought his ranch near Highmore in 1973. He said he learned early to take care of his natural resources, including the grasses he planted for his herd.

“I'm actually sitting out in the pasture that we've got our cows in right now, that's even in my mind unbelievable how good it is for the lack of moisture we've had this year,” Faulstich observed.

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He relies on a diverse mix of native grasses developed to grow in cool and warm seasons and better tolerate dry conditions.

U.S. Drought Monitor data show nearly 80% of South Dakota is abnormally dry or in a drought. The USDA has designated four counties in south-central South Dakota as natural disaster areas because of severe to extreme drought, allowing ranchers and farmers to apply for emergency loans.

Faulstich also adjusts for drought by rotating the pastures he uses for grazing and has added storage facilities for hay to make it through lean years. He stressed advanced planning has kept him in business.

“Our profitability really turned around when we started managing the resources instead of just the cattle,” he emphasized. “I think if everybody did that, they'd find that life was a lot simpler and more pleasant.”

Faulstich acknowledged planning ahead is not easy. He has helped other ranchers through his work with groups including the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition. He is part of a drought planning webinar on the coalition’s website and lives by the group’s motto: “Pray for rain, plan for drought.”

“We're a family operation,” Faulstich added. “We have the next two generations on the ranch as well, and so it's important to keep them in business.”

The South Dakota Grasslands Coalition offers drought planning resources on its website.