Plains and Southwest Regional Rains Are Too Little Too Late

Despite recent respites of rain, U.S. Plains and Southwest regions are experiencing dire drought conditions. Crop producers are struggling to source water for irrigation as regional snowpack continues to deplete. Escalating costs for groundwater have caused more and more producers to begin making tough choices like pulling out acres altogether. Fallowed acres are also becoming more common. These situations have also lead to trickle down issues like reduced feed options for cattle — many livestock producers usually rely on crop byproducts as a feed source in addition to grass pastures which is no longer growing. Recent reports predict little to no improvement throughout the remainder of the year. Read real stories and accounts from producers in the fields.