While relief from heat and dry conditions across the Southeast is in the forecast for some areas, the lack of topsoil moisture continues to be a major factor. According to a story from Stephanie Ho, poor pasture conditions in our area and other parts of the country largely reflect areas where there is drought. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, …
Fried to Roll Out Climate Change Priorities
(NSF-Oct. 2, 2019) — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Thursday plans to roll out legislative priorities focused on climate change. Warning of greater coastal flooding and more powerful hurricanes, the package will address issues such as renewable energy, farm resilience, climate adaptation, new funding sources and financial incentives, Fried said Wednesday as she helped open the Florida Energy and Climate …
Alabama Extension Offers Drought Resources
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, AL (ACES-Oct. 1, 2019) — Conditions in Alabama are hot and dry. Strings of days with record-breaking heat have made September 2019 one of the hottest Septembers on record. The heat and drought are nothing new, though. While only .2 percent of the state is in extreme drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest release, nearly 83 percent …
UF Researchers Link Increasing Seasonal Drought to Longer Fire Seasons
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — A new study from University of Florida (UF) researchers examines the relationship between wet and dry season length and the potential for lightning-ignited fires. The study, led by faculty from the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC), highlights trends in dry season length in the southeastern region of …
Farmers Preparing for Drought Conditions
While recent rains were welcome, more than 34 percent of Alabama still faces abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. This has many livestock producers worried about providing their animals with enough to eat and drink. Landon Marks, an Alabama Extension animal science regional agent, said some northeastern Alabama areas are starting to see effects of the abnormally dry weather. “Water …
Agri View: Cloud Seeding for Rain
Everett Griner talks about cloud seeding still being studied in today’s Agri View. Cloud Seeding for Rain You know, it was many years ago that farmers fought drought, and dry weather, by seeding the clouds. That is, they hired aviators to fly into what clouds existed to spray them with a designated chemical that would produce rain. It produced results, …
Drought Monitor Shows Continued Dryness
If one were to draw a line roughly at or south of Interstate 80 across the central U.S. and look south, drought conditions would raise major alarm bells. As such, a split through Corn Belt shows much of the area south of the Interstate 80 corridor in a classified drought. The latest Drought Monitor released Thursday shows areas of extreme …
Continued Drought Could Lead to Cattle Culling in Southern States
A Texas A & M AgriLife Extension expert says southern beef producers should be planning ahead when it comes to the size of their herds, should the drought continue. Jason Banta says a shortage of forage and hay might mean producers would need to reduce their herd sizes. A plan to cull their herds could save producers money in both …
Scientist Say U.S. Climate Boundary Shifting East
Scientist say a climate boundary separating the east and west United States discovered more than 100 years ago has shifted 140 miles east. In a report published by Columbia University, scientist say global warming has pushed the boundary east, and could have significant implications on farming in the region. Scientist say that due to global-scale wind patterns, to the west …
Seven Counties in Alabama Designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Assistance to Producers in Mississippi The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Bibb, Jefferson, Pickens, St. Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties in Alabama as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in the contiguous counties in Alabama also qualify for natural disaster assistance. Those counties are: Blount Etowah Marion Calhoun Fayette Perry Chilton …