None of this will likely be news to those of you who actually grow stuff, but I’ll pass it along anyway. My paper ran an AP story covering the USDA’s final report on 2012 crop losses attributed to drought.
Calling 2012 the worst U.S. drought since the 1950s, USDA said that losses were heavy, primarily in corn, which was down 27 percent from the agency’s estimate at the time of spring planting. The actual harvest was 10.78 billion bushels.
However, the report said that the 2012 corn crop was one of the largest in history, due primarily to crop technology improvements (drought resistance) and the mere fact that a huge number of acres were planted---97.2 million acres, the most since 1937. The fact that some growers had record crops provides no comfort to those who watched their plantings turn progressively browner and crisper through the growing season.
Calling 2012 the worst U.S. drought since the 1950s, USDA said that losses were heavy, primarily in corn, which was down 27 percent from the agency’s estimate at the time of spring planting. The actual harvest was 10.78 billion bushels.
However, the report said that the 2012 corn crop was one of the largest in history, due primarily to crop technology improvements (drought resistance) and the mere fact that a huge number of acres were planted---97.2 million acres, the most since 1937. The fact that some growers had record crops provides no comfort to those who watched their plantings turn progressively browner and crisper through the growing season.