Report: 1 Harvest Away From A 'Catastrophe'

Because of the worst drought since 1988 the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared a federal disaster area in almost one-third of all the counties in the United States – more than 1,300 counties covering 29 states, the largest disaster declaration ever made by the USDA. Only in the 1930s and 1950s has a drought covered more land.

The United States Drought Monitor shows 88 percent of corn, and 87 percent of soybean crops are in drought-stricken regions.

This map show the counties affected:

“We just had a crop report today, which indicated a significant reduction in corn production as well as bean production, lower forecast for wheat, soybean, soybean oil, soybean meal, and corn, lower forecast for milk, beef, pork, broilers, and turkey. And it’s obvious that weather is having an impact on the estimates of crops. Despite the fact that we have more acreage planted this year, we still are looking at significant reductions, and despite the fact that we may even with the corn estimates, as they have been reduced, would still have the third largest crop of corn in our history, nearly 13 billion bushels, and a very large soybean crop. We need to be cognizant of the fact that drought and weather conditions have really impacted and affected producers around the country.” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

Corn, the biggest ingredient in livestock feed, is a mega-crop, there are more than 4,200 different uses for corn products;

Adhesives, aluminum, aspirin, clothing starch, cosmetics, cough syrup, dry cell batteries, envelopes, fiberglass insulation, gelatin capsules, ink, insecticides, paint, penicillin, powders, rugs and carpets, stamps, sweetener’s, talcum, toothpaste, wallpaper, vitamins, processed and fast foods and of course as fuel – ethanol.

Extreme heat and drought conditions hit the Midwest just as the corn crop was suppose to pollinate – the key yield determining growth phase for corn. Crop ratings have fallen to their lowest level in 24 years – the most recent estimate pegged the crop as just thirty-one percent of the U.S. corn crop in good or excellent condition as of July 15, the least for the date since 1988.

Cattle Country

The U.S. beef herd has shrunk to its smallest since 1956.

“Feed costs account for about 40 to 50 percent of total costs of production, and when a rancher or poultry producer or dairy producer is faced with higher feed costs it’s less profitable to produce that animal. Often times you will see animals brought to market before they reach full weight. In dire cases, producers will liquidate the entire herd and don’t expand as much as they might have.” Joseph Glauber, chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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