Warm temperatures and drought across the country
Randy Mann.
JAKE PARRISH/Press
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor is showing that nearly 60 percent of the country is experiencing dry to drought conditions. The stretch of drier than normal weather is putting additional pressure on the farming community, especially in the nation’s midsection. In the Great Plains, winter wheat crops planted late last year are showing lower yields and wheat farmers are being faced either cutting their losses or replanting the crops due to the dry conditions and soaring energy and fertilizer costs. Herds of cattle have dropped to levels not seen in decades which may lead to much higher beef prices for consumers.
In the western U.S., lower than normal winter snowpacks in the mountain regions are also threatening irrigation levels. Water conservation is becoming a good possibility in the near future, especially in areas dependent on water from the Colorado River.
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