Level 3-4 Drought Growing Across South-Central Texas, Hammering Ranchers - Reuters

[hatrack]

EDIT

Seeligson's woes are felt by cattle ranchers across the country as the recession bites, with the U.S. cattle herd at its lowest level in 50 years and the calf herd at a 57-year bottom. Operators of feedlots that fatten up cattle for steaks with grains and other nutrients are also suffering. But the situation is particularly dire on the ranch lands around San Antonio and the Texas capital Austin. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, drought conditions there are now listed as "exceptional" -- its harshest rating -- highlighted on the map with a dark blood-red color.

It is the only part of the country that currently has such a rating, making it even more severe than California, where a drought emergency has been declared. Seeligson's two ranches just to the east of San Antonio are both in this red zone. The National Weather Service says the area has just been through its driest 18-month period from September of 2007 to February 2009, and the short-term outlook is bleak.

Texas Governor Rick Perry asked for disaster relief assistance on Friday for drought-stricken farmers across the state. "The forecast for the next three months is for below average rainfall for that area," said Victor Murphy, the Climate Service Program Manager at the Fort Worth, Texas-based Southern Region Headquarters of the National Weather Service.

Seeligson's herd is normally about 1,300 head on his two ranches but right now it's about 1,000 -- and even that is too many given the poor state of his land. Under normal conditions his operation is strictly grazing with no confined feeding and is a cow/calf farm aimed at producing animals that should eventually be used for further production or be taken to the feedlots for fattening. Feeding his herd with supplements is getting too expensive and so he is caught in the classic drought and cattle vice: he will have to sell cattle but given the poor conditions and low beef price, no one in the area wants to buy any.

EDIT

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE52721X20090308?sp=true

[HereSince1628]

1. Let them die of thirst in the light

It's only fair since they decided that we up north should freeze in the dark.

[msongs]

2. pray for hurricanes :-) nt

[kentauros]

3. I'm guessing you've never been through a hurricane.

:eyes:

You should try it sometime if you haven't (Ike, Gustav, Rita, Katrina.) Perhaps it would "open" your eyes.
You should also try out some of our Tropical Depressions that like to come halfway onland (Allison, Claudette), stall and pump floods onto the Gulf Coast.

[wuvuj]

4. It's a world-wide pattern?

http://www.alternet.org/environment/127625/?page=entire


And contributing to the problems....


http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22181.htm


Don't look so good for the yeast...does it?

The excesses of the world economy self destructing at about the same time as food/water shortages are going to get serious...and easy to get resources being diminished (oil/minerals).

Isn't it interesting...that just when humanity NEEDS to get real smart...all the crazies come out of the woodwork to make people get stupider?

Yes...it's real important that women have all the kids they possibly can.....and that people wave their flags around a lot....and that we use up as much precious resources as we can as soon as we can before they are all gone...and kill a bunch of stuff while we still can.... :rofl: