North Dakota Farmers, Ranchers report high levels of grasshoppers

(Bismarck, ND) -- If it's late summer in North Dakota, local farmers and ranchers are dealing with grasshoppers.

State agriculture officials say the latest figures show that the grasshopper population is high again this year. A Gladstone farmer reportedly said last week that he'd never seen this many of the crop and feed-munching pests in his fields.

One source said there weren't enough bitter-cold days during the winter to keep the population down.

Ag officials say the best way to limit damage is to focus on spraying the outer edges of fields to keep grasshoppers at bay.