Severe
drought affects West Central Missouri
Stephanie
Frey, Posted Sep. 13, 2006
Unknown
to those who are not involved in the farming community, large
parts of the United States, including Missouri, have been suffering from
a severe drought since last year. According to Tony Lupo,
associate director of atmospheric science at MU, the drought
has been affecting Missouri for over 12 months and although
the state has gotten rain recently, it is still not over.
“Summer
2006 has been the warmest since 1980, but has failed to get
into the top ten hottest summers. We were very dry in the
spring of this year and came into the summer way behind and
low on ground water,” said Lupo. The drought was predictable
by looking at the year’s weather patterns, added Lupo.
Pat Guinan,
a climatologist at MU, has spent time researching the severity
and affects of the drought. “It didn’t take long
for the crops to feel stress from the drought due to the low
amount of moisture in the soil. They didn’t have much
water to tap into,” said Guinan. The corn in West Central
Missouri turned white while the soybean plants were either
stunted or had stopped growing completely said Guinan.
Not only
has the Show Me State struggled with its crops, but the livestock
have been suffering as well. “Pastures burned up and
farmers were forced to feed them hay supplies that would have
normally been saved until around November,” said Guinan.
“Many of the ponds that livestock would normally drink
from had dried up and are in great need of rain.”
The effects
were vast, but good news did come when the Secretary of Agriculture
Mike Johanns announced on Aug. 29 that $780 million would
be given to farmers and ranchers that were affected by the
severe drought, according to the United States Department
of Agriculture. Fifty million dollars will be going to livestock
farmers like those who have had to tap into their hay preserves
to keep their cattle healthy.
For more
information, check the Drought
Monitor Web site for areas
affected by the drought. Also, take a look at
the USDA
press release.
