Bob Bond is a rancher who owns a farm just south of Ozark. He says this year was tough.
“It was dry real early, pastures dried up,” said Bond.
Bond bailed half as much hay at his farm. The drought forced him to downsize.
“Sold a lot of older cows that we would normally have kept but it was just trying to make room for the rest of the heard, trying to keep them,” said Bond.
Bond is one of more than 8,000 Arkansas ranchers who qualified for state drought relief funding.
“You know in a time like this every little bit helps,” said Bond.
The state cut Bond a check for more than $1,400.
“It don't make a dent in your feed bill or in your fuel bill or anything like that,” he said.
But Bond is thankful for the assistance. “You feel like somebody's kind of thinking about you.”
Bond says it has been the worst year since the 1980s. Despite that, he expects to make it.
“It's gone be tight you know, but I think we'll be alright,” said Bond.