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This year’s drought is causing more damage than last year, and 37 percent of farmers said they are cultivating and killing unripe crops due to dry conditions. That’s a jump from 24% last year, the survey said.
AFBF estimates that nearly 60% of the Western, Southern, and Central Plains are experiencing severe drought or more this year.
“The impact of this drought is felt not only by farmers and ranchers, but by consumers as well, with many farmers making the difficult decision to sell their livestock or destroy fruit trees they’ve grown for decades,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall.
The AFBF survey was conducted in 15 states from June 8 to July 20 during the worst drought, from Texas to North Dakota to California, which accounts for nearly half of the nation’s agricultural production value.
In California – a state with major fruit and nut crops – 50% of the state’s farmers have had to remove trees and perennial crops due to drought, the study found, affecting future income. And 33 percent of U.S. farmers say they need to do the same, nearly doubling from last year.
Selling herds
Access to water for livestock is a key issue for farmers and ranchers this year, with 57 percent limited to local water use, compared to 50 percent of farmers last year. Key water sources like Lake Mead and Lake Powell — operating at less than 30% of their full capacity — typically provide water for 5.5 million acres of land in seven western states, according to the AFBF.
On Tuesday, the federal government announced that the Colorado River was operating at a Stage 2 shortage for the first time since January. This means that Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will have to further reduce their use of water from the Colorado River.
High inflation makes it difficult for cattle keepers their land. Diesel prices are declining but still high, making it more expensive to transport more water than in years past. Fertilizers for grass and crops and animal feed are also expensive.
Consumer influence
U.S. consumers expect to spend more on certain food products as a result of the drought, according to the report.
“For cattle and cattle, the market has a small breeding herd after finishing the surplus animals sent to slaughter. [price increases] It can be from six months to more than a year. Daniel Munch, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, said it could be an immediate harvest for specialty crops.
Fruits, nuts and vegetables are mostly imported from states with high levels of drought. But farmers were forced to abandon planting or destroy gardens. That “could cause American consumers to pay more for these items and rely in part on foreign supplies or reduce the variety of items they buy in-store,” the report said.
For example, California gets 80 percent of the world’s supply of almonds — limiting other places where American consumers can buy the popular nut. And it is not easy to change the place where nuts are grown – because the crop needs a different climate and soil.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ August inflation report, US consumers are spending 9.3% more on fruits and vegetables than a year ago.
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