Row crop farmers are expected to plant a lot of acres this spring in an effort to capture value from rallying grain markets that don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. And though the cattle cycle is starting to move lower, there are a lot of cattle in the U.S. right now. But producers in both sectors could run into the buzzsaw of drought as spring approaches. Recent U.S. Drought Monitor data show no signs of the drought easing in parched western and southwestern states, and dry conditions are already seen impacting winter wheat conditions in states like Nebraska. While planted acres will be a huge market factor moving into summer, drought’s impact on crop yields — as well as any accelerated herd liquidations in the beef sector — will become the dominant variable moving through the remainder of the year. See more on what to watch as spring approaches.