Here is a good site to monitor US drought conditions. What a perfect storm.
Posted on 07/09/2012 5:38:51 PM PDT by djf
I've seen two reports today that talked about the weather over the midwest and the corn.
The corn crop just about nationwide is a dismal failure due to droughts and prices are expected to climb by at least fifty percent.
For many products that use corn, that means BUY IT NOW!
Sadly, there is another outcome, farmers were interviewed and for them it means one thing - they can't feed their stock, so they end up going to the slaughterhouse.
So soon, there will be a glut of meat on the market, expect prices to plummet (before they rise almost exponentially), but it would be a good idea for anybody who enjoys a steak or roast to keep their eyes open and their freezer ready for bargains.
Farmers just didn't plant.
If anything, this might return prices to a level that is more reasonable.
Thanks djf. Hey, I think I’m in before the “corn shortages are caused by ethanol” crap begins.
Record heat waves goodbye to area
The Washington Times | July 8, 2012 | Meredith Somers
Posted on 07/09/2012 5:37:05 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2904674/posts
Early warmth brought the Michigan fruit trees into bloom early but the blossoms froze and has devastated that crop. They’re saying 90% of the apple and tart cherry crops were wiped out with a 95% loss of the peach crop.
I know my apple trees don’t have a single apple but my pear trees are going to fall over from all the pears on them.
Plenty of rain in Michigan, unfortunately none of it seems to be falling in my yard. Its a regular old drought for a radius of about 10 miles around my house.
Sounds like you’re in a rain shadow. Has it happened before?
In my area of NC the rain has been so hit and miss that in some locations the corn is parched all to hell and 5 miles away it looks like a bumper crop.
Here in the Pacific Northwest we had a cold, wet June. Finally, on the 5th of July we began to see sunshine.
I don’t know how well this helps orchardists in Wahsington and Oregon, but cherries are now in the markets and look really delicious. Hopefully the wheat crops in eastern Washington and Oregon will have benefited from the rainy weather, too, and yield bountifully this fall.
Evey so often we’ll fall into a pattern were the rain fades as it gets here of forms just east of us. Its not really unusual just irritating because I like rain. We need the rain to come from a more southwesterly direction for us to get it good.
Its been drier than dust and they’ve had long rain delays at Comerica park 70 miles away.
Weather this year is vastly improved over last year.
Many, many days, even in the summer last year, temps were in the 50’s and it rained.
All of my garden is doing hugely better. I picked a boatload of pea pods this morning.
Interesting beef market hypothesis but you’re a year too late as ranchers sold off herds last year during that drought and haven’t had time to restock to a level for another sell-off.
Big part of Mn they are talking about record yields.
We’re having the same problem. The storm clouds gather, it gets black as night outside, and they rain themselves out before they get here, or they pass north or south of us.
It’s frustrating, and some of our trees are turning brown and dropping their leaves from the heat and lack of rain. Forget the lawn. What’s wrong with the lawn? It’s dead.
I travel extensively from Colorado to Ohio and North Dakota/Minnesota to Louisiana and work in the Ag industry.
There is still a drought in southern Kansas/south east Colorada and one getting started in Central Illinois and Indiana.
BUT, the corn crop in Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Louisiana is going great guns this year.
I am speaking from first hand observation.
Here in Kentucky our corn crop is taking a real hit. Ironically, it was the largest planting in 25 years. I hope we don’t lose a lot of farmers because of it.
SW Va: haven’t had to mow for a month, hallelujah!
Hay may be going up for the farmers.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1
NOAA predicts above average temps across the country through this summer, and average rainfall in most parts.
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