Drought continues to take a toll on agriculture, with more than half of the U.S. experiencing dry conditions. Representative Rick Crawford, a member of the House Ag Committee, shares what he is seeing back home in Arkansas.
The latest drought monitor shows Arkansas completely covered in yellows, oranges, and even some red. That means farmers are experiencing abnormal all the way to extreme drought.
Tony St. James with All Ag All Day says it is one thing to look at those drought maps all day, but it is another thing to see it from the air and realize how widespread and deep it really is. He explains what he saw as he flew from Washington back into the Texas panhandle.
“But when you see it from about 30,000 feet especially North there at the Metro Plex, the Dallas Fort Worth MetroPlex and back east of there as well. I’m telling you, it is amazing because it looks like you’re coming in during the wintertime when many of your pastures have gone dormant at that time and there are no crops growing and that’s what we’re seeing right in the middle of summer,” says Rep. Crawford.
St. James said when we are talking about a drought right now, we are talking about fields completely gone.
Related:
Drought Roundtable: It is an “uncertain and concerning” outlook for Texas and Kansas
A Tennessee hay farmer is “hoping for the best” when facing drought and fuel prices
