The latest U.S. Drought Monitor revealed not only contracting drought coverage across the nation, but also shrinking levels we haven’t seen in years.
And that is ringing true for many of the country’s top commodities. USDA Meteorologist, Brad Rippey, breaks down the numbers.
“Coverage of the corn production area in drought for the U.S. is just 19% at the end of April, down five points from the beginning of the month, pretty much the same with soybeans, 17% drought coverage, soybean production area at the end of April, down also five points from the beginning of the month. And then as we shift to the South, news for the cotton belt at this time just 8% of the U.S. cotton belt in drought at the end of April. No change from the beginning of the month our current. For for the U.S. hay production area in drought is just 12% at the end of April. That’s down two points from the beginning of April and also down from last autumn’s peak of 42% of the hay production area and drought.”
Brad Rippey, USDA Meteorologist
It’s a very similar picture for cattle producing areas. Just 17% of the U.S. cattle inventory is in drought. That’s up slightly from April where we saw 13%, but this is a major improvement from last fall when almost half of the nation’s herd was in a drought.
Related Stories
After years of battling misinformation online, Potatoes USA is using artificial intelligence to monitor and respond to false claims about the industry.
API said it stands ready to work with Congress to develop a balanced approach to E15 legislation that promotes fuel choice, supports investment certainty, and contributes to a stable and fair marketplace for American consumers.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is asking that farmers be allowed to use marketing assistance loans to help stay afloat.
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
