OK Ag Producers Feeling the Heat
Filed by Michael Cross in Feature, Local News, News.
August 2, 2011
Agriculture producers are going into the hottest days of the year on top of dealing with a drought which has existed in Oklahoma since last October.
Oklahoma and Texas appear to be under a bull’s eye for extreme dry conditions which climatologists don’t predict to end until at least fall.
Blayne Arthur, Department of Agriculture Associate Commissioner, says cotton is expected to be 35% to 40% of the normal crop.
And it’s not the only produce getting hit.
“The majority of the corn that we have in Oklahoma has burned up by this time of the year, and we had probably more corn planted this year than we had in previous years.”
Arthur says ranchers aren’t fairing any better as there’s less forage for cattle and lake and river beds have started drying up.
She says many of the producers are either selling their herds or trying to lease them to other states not under drought conditions.
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