Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Drought”
Low Water Levels Disrupt Midwest Barge Traffic Again During Harvest 2025 Low water levels on major rivers back in the Midwest will disrupt barge traffic during harvest time for the fourth year in a row. The Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers, among others, have all dropped below the low gauge level again, making grain transport by barge more difficult …
As harvest begins across parts of the Deep Southeast, farmers in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia are now contending with D1 drought status, adding pressure to an already intense season. With high temperatures lingering and limited rainfall, the USDA is monitoring conditions closely. However, there may be relief on the horizon, according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. “Now, for other parts …
As dry conditions continue to worsen across the state, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) is asking cattle producers to take an active role in documenting the impact on their operations. These real-time reports help state climatologists and agencies monitor conditions more accurately—and could influence eligibility for emergency livestock programs. We spoke with Erin Beasley of the ACA to learn more …
Midway Through Hurricane Season, the Southeast Faces Drier Conditions As we pass the midway point of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, parts of the Southeast U.S. are experiencing drier-than-normal conditions, raising concerns about drought impacts on agriculture and water supplies. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey explains that despite early forecasts predicting an active season, the Atlantic basin has remained relatively quiet …
(ADAI/MONTGOMERY, AL/April 1, 2025) — Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate announced that USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has designated 20 Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. Eighteen additional counties were listed as contiguous disaster counties. “The drought affected over half of the counties in Alabama,” said Commissioner Pate. “We encourage farmers to …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack has designated three Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. Nine additional counties were listed as contiguous disaster counties. The three primary Alabama counties included in the disaster designation are Dallas, Perry and Wilcox. The nine contiguous counties are Autauga, Bibb, Butler, Chilton, Clark, Hale, …
Drought monitor numbers jump higher in August. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Significant increases in U.S. Drought Monitor coverage nationally and by category were noted over the month of August. Rod Bain reports. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober …
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey talks about recent drought coverage percentages for Southern crops such as cotton and peanuts. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025
When it comes to drought coverage for hay and cattle production areas, things are looking much better this spring than they were last fall. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey has more information. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …
New data from USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) shows that changes in drought conditions impact the size of the U.S. beef cattle herd. Specifically, when the percentage of land area of drought increases for an extended period as noted in the U.S. Drought Monitor, the U.S. beef cattle herd often declines. In 2023, with more than 65 percent of U.S. …
