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Posts Tagged ‘crop drought emergency’

Disaster Declared in More Counties Across 11 States

Posted by feww on July 13, 2012

Severe frost and freeze in April, ongoing drought prompt agricultural disaster declarations across 11 states

Losses and damage caused to crops due to severe frost and freeze in April, as well as the ongoing drought across  most of the U.S. have prompted USDA to declare agricultural disaster areas in dozens of U.S. counties across 11 states.

  • Damage and losses caused by drought that began in April 2012 and continues prompted USDA to issue disaster declaration in
    • Arkansas:  30 counties
    • Missouri: 6 counties
  • Georgia. USDA has designated a total of 30 counties in Georgia as both primary and contiguous natural disaster areas in two separate declaration due to frost, freeze, hail and high winds that occurred in April and May 2012.
    • Six counties in North Carolina (4), South Carolina (1) and Tennessee (1), are also designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.
  • Iowa. USDA has designated 43 counties in Iowa as both primary and contiguous natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by severe frosts and freezes that occurred April 6-30, 2012.
    • Nine counties in Illinois (4), Missouri (1), Nebraska (2) and Wisconsin (2) are also designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.


Map of U.S. Hazards Outlook for July 20 – 26, 2012, showing persistent severe drought.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

  • Japan: Extreme Rain Events.  Dozens are dead or missing on Kyushu island in western Japan, after extreme rain events, which began late Wednesday, spawned severe flooding and multiple landslides.
    •  A record 500 mm of rain fell over a 24-hour period on Aso, Kumamoto prefecture, while scores of homes in neighboring Minami-Aso were destroyed and many more damaged by landslides.
    • In Kyushu’s Kumamoto and neighboring Oita prefectures, hourly rainfalls of 106mm were recorded, Japan’s meteorological agency said, while warning of additional rainfall.
    • Up to 150,000 people in about 35,000 households were under mandatory evacuation orders.
  • Moscow, Russia. Freak storm pounded Moscow, flooding the the historic center of the Russian capital on Friday, said a report.
    • At least two people were killed after lightning struck them.
    • Further storms could strike throughout the weekend, meteorologist warned.


Black clouds spawned deadly lightning and massive rainstorm over Moscow.  Image by twitter user @OksanaGon4arov, via RT.

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Drought Disaster Declared in 26 States

Posted by feww on July 12, 2012

Half of the U.S. declared agricultural disaster area due to worsening drought

Drought conditions have sparked disaster declarations in more than 1,300 counties (1,016 primary, 278 contiguous) across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.

U.S. drought has been intensified by the driest June in history and triple-digit temperatures on 10 out of 11 days recently.

  • As of last week, Moderate to Extreme drought conditions prevailed in 52.56 percent of the Midwest, and 68.39 percent of the South. Moderate to Exceptional drought conditions covered 73.87% of High Plains, 64.15% of the West and 35.46% of the Southeast.
  • The declaration covers 26 states across the country: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii.

Map of U.S. counties declared as agricultural disaster areas.

In addition to the 1,016 primary disaster areas, 278 other counties have been designated as contiguous disaster areas (see map above).

[NOTE: There are 3,033 organized county or county-equivalent governments in the U.S. Source:   U.S. Department of Commerce –Census Bureau]

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (July 5 to September 30, 2012)

Corn Conditions

Thirty percent of the corn in the 18 states that produce most of the U.S. crop is now  in poor or very poor condition, up from 22% last week, USDA reported.

  • The amount of corn considered to be in excellent or good condition has dropped to 40 percent this week down from 48 percent last week.
  • Sixty percent or more of the crop has been rated poor to very poor in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee.


Corn Condition – Selected States: Week Ending July 8, 2012. The 18 states planted 92% of 2011 acreage. Source: Crop Progress – Released July 9, 2012, by NASS/USDA.

For details of corn and soybean condition see Third of U.S. Corn in Poor or V. Poor Condition Posted on July 11, 2012

  • Kansas. A list of 82 Kansas counties that will be declared disaster areas is posted HERE.

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Third of U.S. Corn in Poor or V. Poor Condition

Posted by feww on July 11, 2012

Corn and soybean prices surge following USDA report on extent of damage to crops

Thirty percent of the corn in the 18 states that produce most of the U.S. crop is now  in poor or very poor condition, up from 22% last week, USDA reported.

The amount of corn considered to be in excellent or good condition has dropped to 40 percent this week down from 48 percent last week.

Sixty percent or more of the crop has been rated poor to very poor in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee.


Corn Condition – Selected States: Week Ending July 8, 2012. The 18 states planted 92% of 2011 acreage. Source: Crop Progress – Released July 9, 2012, by NASS/USDA.


Poor, Incomplete Kernel Set. Poor pollination of ear due to asynchronous pollen shed and silking (poor “nick”) due to severe drought and high temperatures; inadequate pollen supply due to uneven crop development, herbicides, insect feeding and silk clipping. Phosphorus shortages also interfere with pollination. Late applications of Lightning on Clearfield corn. Source: OSU-Extension. Image may be subject to copyright.

Corn futures surged 37 cents to $7.74 per bushel in afternoon trading Monday, up by more than $1 in a week.

Soybean Crop

The damage report also drove up soybean prices to a new record on Monday. Prices peaked at $16.79 per bushel before closing at $16.65, up 45 cents.

The USDA reported that 27 percent of soybeans were in poor or very poor condition in the 18 states that grow 95 percent of the crop, up 5 percent from last week.

Only 40 percent of the soybean crop was rated in good or excellent condition,  down from 45 percent last week.


Soybean Condition – Selected States: Week Ending July 8, 2012. Source: Crop Progress – Released July 9, 2012, by NASS/USDA.

Chain Reaction

The poor crops in the U.S., world’s top producer of corn (maize) and soybean, will cause a chain reaction in the global food market, dictating higher prices across the board including beef, chicken, pork, eggs, milk, bread, and causing global food crisis …

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