By Amy Bickel
The Hutchinson News

The Kansas drought is getting better.

Areas in eastern Kansas are now in a moderate drought, compared to the severe listing of last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The entire state, however, is still in a moderate to exceptional drought, exceptional being the highest ranking by the agency.

However, even that percentage is improving, from 17.04 percent last week to 16.87 percent when the data was released Thursday.

Source: NRCS

In response to the drought faced by Kansas producers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is providing financial and technical assistance in a new Water Quantity and Drought Pilot funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) announced Eric B. Banks, State Conservationist.