Lee Lawrie‘s colossal bronze Atlas, Rockefeller Center, New York.
My Comment: According to Merriam Webster dictionary.com the Word Atlas, besides representing the Greek god condemned to hold the heavens on his shoulders, means “One who bears a heavy burden”. This storm did carry with it a heavy burden. My heart goes out to these ranchers and everyone affected by this storm.
(The Weather Channel) PIERRE, S.D. — Atlas took up to 50 percent of some ranchers’ cattle, so the state’s senators and representatives plan to push for quick passage of the stalled farm bill.
Officials have not yet come up with a tally of total livestock losses, but western South Dakota ranchers lost huge portions of their cattle herds during last weekend’s early fall blizzard. Some sheep and horses also were lost in the storm.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said a previous federal livestock disaster program expired at the end of 2011. The House and Senate versions of the new farm bill include programs to help cover livestock losses, but the two chambers have been unable to agree on a farm bill after passing different versions several months ago.
Until a new farm bill is passed, with a retroactive livestock disaster program, little assistance is available to ranchers, Thune said. The House version of the farm bill would cover 75 percent of fair market value of lost livestock, while the Senate version would cover 65 percent.
“Hopefully, this will be the impetus to get the farm bill passed, to get people to the table,” Thune said.
iWitness Jeanne Apelseth took this photo of her neighbor’s house in Rapid City, SD after Winter Storm Atlas produced extremely heavy snowfall.
iWitness Rob Griffith snapped this photo just outside of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota showing multiple cars completely buried underneath the snow.
(MORE: Farming News)
Categories: extreme weather, news
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