agriculture News

Dry Weather Worsening in Colorado, 17% in ‘Exceptional Drought’

The summer drought that lingered throughout Colorado has become worse. The entire state is currently experiencing abnormally dry conditions and nearly 17% of the land area is in exceptional drought, the most extreme category, the U.S. Drought Monitor said. The …

Montana Climate Project Will Install Remote Weather Stations

University of Montana researchers recently received a $21 million government contract, bringing more support and longevity to what has been a grassroots effort to build a better climate monitoring network across the state. The funding from the U.S. Army Corps …

Oregon Governor Declares Drought Emergency in Coos County

A drought declaration passed by Coos County Commissioners has been approved by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. The governor’s declaration, which expires Dec. 31, will authorize state agencies to expedite water management tools for local officials to quickly start mitigation activities, …

USDA’s Wildfire Indemnity Program Offers Possible Drought Assistance for California Farmers

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced additional disaster assistance available to agricultural producers, including producers impacted by drought and excess moisture as well as sugar beet growers. California officials are bracing for the potential of another drought and an …

Washington Blizzard Killed 1,850 Cows, Yakima Farmers Reeling

The unexpected blizzard that swept through the Yakima Valley on Feb. 9 was just one more clobbering for the region’s dairy farms. The number of dairy farms in the state has plummeted from 2,500 in 1993 to 377 in 2018, …

Washington Dairy Farms Take $4M Hit from Cows Lost in Blizzard

Officials say the more than 1,800 dairy cows that died in a blizzard in southern Washington state earlier this month were a nearly $4 million loss, not including the lost milk production. Farm Service Agency program specialist Gerri Richter tells …

Mad Cow Disease Confirmed on UK Farm – First Case Since 2015

Mad cow disease has been found on a U.K. farm for the first time since 2015, raising concern that some countries may move to limit imports of British beef. The disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE, was …

San Antonio Among Numerous Texas Cities With Drought Water Use Restrictions

Some South Texas cities have started restricting water usage due to dropping Edwards Aquifer levels amid drought conditions. The Edwards Aquifer Authority this week announced Stage 1 pumping restrictions after the 10-day average level of an index well dropped below …

California’s Record Heat Struck Wine Regions at Harvest Time

The record head that baked Northern California over the Labor Day weekend left wine grapes shriveling on the vines, reducing many of them to raisins before the normal harvest and turning what was looking to be a promising vintage into …

Farmers Are Eligible for Flood Loans in 14 Michigan Counties

Farmers and ranchers in 14 Michigan counties are eligible for emergency loans due to widespread damage amid severe storms and flash flooding in June. The update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture comes after President Donald Trump last week made …