Make Me Smart The view from cattle country
Feb 20, 2026
Anna Pope, agriculture and rural affairs reporter covering Oklahoma and the Great Plains. She walks through wildfires damaging ranches and livestock, shrinking federal agricultural staff and worries about hunger data, and why rising beef prices are a rare bright spot for ranchers. Short takes include how high beef prices are used and how wildfire frequency is changing life in cattle country.
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On-the-Ground Fire Damage In Oklahoma
- Anna Pope visited Woodward and reported that firefighters maneuvered flames around most structures, allowing evacuated residents to return.
- She described ranchers facing loss of fences, storage buildings, and sometimes livestock, with genetic herd losses that aren't easily replaced.
Oklahoma’s Broad Disaster Vulnerability
- Oklahoma is highly disaster-prone, facing wildfires, tornadoes, ice storms, and floods that repeatedly threaten property.
- Anna Pope emphasized land can recover but property and livelihoods often cannot, deepening community harm.
Federal Ag Workforce Cuts Hit Local Offices
- Anna Pope traced large federal workforce reductions that hit USDA programs and followed up with FOIA requests for Oklahoma-specific data.
- She spoke with affected employees who accepted buyouts and local farm groups worried about who will staff county offices.