Extreme Drought Hits Much of US; Ranchers Sell Herds as Feed Costs Skyrocket

Townhall.com ^ | July 15, 2012 | Mike Shedlock

[Kaslin]

Corn, soybean and wheat prices have soared lately due to poor crop estimates amid extreme drought conditions in 26 states.

The blistering summer and ongoing drought conditions have the prompted the U.S. Agriculture Department to declare a federal disaster area in more than 1,000 counties covering 26 states. That's almost one-third of all the counties in the United States, making it the largest distaster declaration ever made by the USDA.

[SatinDoll]

“If it were up to me I would restrict food stamps so they wouldn’t buy crap like chips, candy, cake, soda etc.”

Never. It’s far too logical.

[SatinDoll]

I live in southwest Washington State and the weather here has been colder and wetter than usual.

My tomatoe plants have flowers and wimpy green leaves. I suspect this may be a “Year of the Green Tomatoes”.

Bell peppers are doing OK, as are all the herb plants, except for basil.

Haven’t seen it this bad in decades though the lawn sure loves it.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

“Hmm, I remember FDR actually pushed for destroying crops and livestock to drive up prices. Wonder if dear leader looks at this the same way.”<<<<

Supply and demand, The supply outweighed the demand at that point. (allegedly)..

[P.O.E.]

Relevant quotes:

Cattle markets remained on the defensive last week as heat, drought and waning consumer demand continue to take a toll on prices.

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Post-holiday-blues-for-cattle-beef-markets-162527926.html?ref=926

Ranchers are rushing to sell off some of their cattle as the worst drought in nearly 25 years dries up pastures, thins hay supplies and sends feed costs sky-rocketing.

.....

He got $100 per head less than he did a month ago as the high cost of feed has spooked away potential buyers

.......

There has been a big jump in the number of cows slaughtered in the United States. Cows are critical to growing the beef herd, fewer cows means fewer beef cattle later. In the week ending June 30, 52,700 cows were slaughtered, 3 percent more than a year ago during the peak of the Plains drought, USDA data showed.

“We’re just going to get down to tiny, tiny amounts of beef available per person in the country,” said Chris Hurt, agriculture economist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/latest/Ranchers-cull-cattle-as-drought-shrivels-crops-pasture-162538046.html

[Rebelbase]

“Saw an article last week about a midwest farmer who has decided to let 1/3 of his crop die because of the drought. Figures he’ll do better trying to keep less of it alive.”

I’ve seen entire crops left to waste in a marginal year for the crop insurance.

[Neoliberalnot]

Someone can correct me in this thought, that a problem with some modern hybrid corns is that they are not adapted for this type of thing, great disease resistance, not drought resistant? I like gardening with heirloom seeds and have a tendency to point the finger at modern corn seeds as an example of creating problems rather then the solution. The truth is that nothing is surviving it is so dry even the weeds are dying.””

Ok, you stand corrected, since may of the modern hybrids are in fact, more drought resistant and disease resistant. I have nothing against heirloom seeds—some of them produce excellent fruit, but others readily succumb to many pests and fungi, that today’s hybrids resist. I find that plant scientists have for the most part done a good job. Most heirloom seeds are in fact hybrids themselves, just very old hybrids. The yields on modern hybrids far surpass those of old. Again, there is nothing evil or wrong with plant science.

[Neoliberalnot]

Roundup is not the problem ~ it doesn’t kill the fungi ~ just certain broadleaf plants that’d take over and leave my lawn in patches of dirt and stuff.””

Small correction: Roundup is a burn-down herbicide, that is, it is non-specific in targeting weeds, it kills them all, except for some emerging resistant ones. It will kill your grass too, unless you have round-up resistant varieties. 2,4-D is a broadleaf herbicide.

[dog breath]

That is true, my bias toward some of the current corns comes from the inability to grow them from saved seed and the introduction of new genetic material into corn. Without the modern hybrids yields would be at less then half of what they are today, plant science does feed the world. I just want to blame the overdevelopement of the hybrids for a loss in general adaptability. It was a very thin line of argument at best. Currently I am growing in my garden some saved seed derived from a base of Bloody Butcher corn and it is surviving the heat with a little care. The squirrels like it.

[Neoliberalnot]

Send me some Bloody Butcher seed.

As far as field corn, the hybrids today have double the yield of those from yesteryear. I have raised thousands of acres of corn, grew up farming and still farm. This goes way beyond a little patch in the back yard. Plant technology is no more evil than any other contemporary technology. Should we be communicating between a line strung between two cans or, perhaps we should mount a horse and meet up in a distant town. Think about it.