Comments on: Higher Food Prices Likely As Drought Worsens

By: IL Farmer

IL Farmer — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:51:06 +0000

Any farmer knows to expect drought but the drought we’re seeing is of unprecedented levels. The article really doesn’t go into the entire gravity of the situation. Some areas of IL haven’t seen rain since early May. The pastureland is too dry to graze livestock and hay production is less than half what it should be. Cattle are eating grain now and entire herds will be sent to market this fall much sooner than planned. Normally, the corn stalks become silage and that can be used for cattle feed as well. Problem is it’s been so dry the enzyme levels are off in the corn plants themselves and no silage can be produced. We all studied the dust bowl but alot of that was also due to overtillage. As I sit here I look at a 5 acre hayfield that usually produces a few hundred bales this time of year but it’s idle and so dry it crunches when I walk on it. I’m not going to get anything off of it this year. I’m seeing farmers grinding up their corn fields as a total loss to preserve what nutrients may be left for next year. No telling how many smaller operations will go under this year.

By: wantingbalance

wantingbalance — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:17:45 +0000

Disgusted apparently overlooks the dust bowl days of FDR’s administration. As any former knows, droughts happen. But the real pressure on the food chain is the federal government’s demand of 10% corn-supplied ethenol which makes it more attractive for corn farmers to sell their crop to ethenol producers and sugar manufacturers, not to food suppliers. From the day that ethenol usage was mandated by Washington, speculation in corn prices has driven those prices to current levels. Any other disruption in the supply chain simply means that the same speculators who drive up the price of oil will drive up the price of corn.

By: Disgusted with gop

Disgusted with gop — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:58:55 +0000

Much of the country is in the worst drought since the 50′s, and some parts are approaching the “Dust Bowl” conditions of the 30′s, according to the Weather Channel. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Thank goodness global warming is just a Liberal hoax, or we might REALLY be in trouble……………