The USDA has designated 39 additional counties in eight states as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat, CNN's Brianna Keilar reports.
During the 2012 crop year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 1,297 counties across 29 states as disaster areas, making all qualified farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans.
Worst drought since '50s may cost us all
The U.S. is facing the largest drought since the 1950s, the National Climatic Data Center reported Monday, saying that about 55% of the country was in at least moderate short-term drought in June for the first time since December 1956, when 58% of the country was in a moderate to extreme drought.
The hot, dry weather in June, which ranked as the third-driest month nationally in at least 118 years, according to the center, made the problem worse.
HOW DROUGHT COULD HIT YOUR WALLET
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
Revelation 8:7
Obama, "I'm not sure what to do about this drought, but I'll go a head and blame George Bush for it."
Republicans are too busy blaming Obama Bob.
Really? You are too blame.
What?
Incredibly, Bush IS partly to blame because he did nothing about global warming, except make it worse.
What else would you expect from this administration? Obama causes worst droughts in almost 60 years. Of course he will just try to blame congress or Bush.
Why Bryan, you just blamed a president for it. Why should he stoop to your level?
More propaganda from drive by media to scare people into believing that global warming is real. Romney is on the right track to end the tryany of the EPA and shut them down once and for all. Job creators will protect the enviroment when and if it ever needs protecting..........TEAMERMICA
Yes Bryan, Obama is even more mightier than mother nature and has supernatural power to single handedly cause the worst drought in history.
Yeah, Bryan, you're right.
The POTUS is keeping his secret weather machine under wraps just to prove you right!
Lol!
i wonder if any red state will return moneys the federal government hands out for this.
They'll blame the republicans for not believing in global warming. Speak of that, though, I am open to the fact that our planet is alive and constantly changes and we have enough continued volcanic activity to account for a large%, but man is of course also to blame. I just don't believe it is simply man made problem. Our planet is changing, moving, so hang on the roller coaster is about to start moving.
Only if they stop sending our hay over to other countries we would have supply here for our animals. There is not enough help to our local farmers that causes major increase in prices and hardships to those farmers. Instead of money and companies reaching for cheap China or drug smuggling Mexico, our government should focus on our own people and land.
No, we teaparty folks as you say are just smart enough to know it isn't simply man made. Our planet is alive and constantly moving, changing, erupting of gasses, etc. So driving cars and factories didn't create the problem. Sure, adding to it, but as a planet this change was and is inevitable. We have to adjust to it. August heat is now in July.
I agree the planet is alive and ever changing but never at this rate. Man has definitely sped up the rate of change. How can you be blind to observable facts?
I truly believe you are correct, man has contributed, but the earth is changing. Remember, Arizona used to have water everywhere. And there are other crops beside corn, such as wheat, onions, which require lots of water, tomatoes, watermelon. Practically the only thing we don't import is our food, in fact if we traded a bushel of wheat for a barrel of oil, we might be better off.
Gee what a shame to see all that GMO corn wither away.
If Bush was at fault for Katrina then he must have ordered this drought.
The Maya warned US. 2012
Such a shame to see all that GMO corn wither away.
Not my problem if you dont like GMO corn or food for that matter. Just dont come crying to me when you starve.
Sarcasm. The new religion. Oh wise quip allow me to choose the most insightful words so that I may appear so witty.
Just the export of agricultural goods from the US tops $140 Billion dollars per year. So if you are just worried that brussel sprouts will be .30 cents per pound more expensive... youre wrong.
This is a natural disaster. Can the US government and FEMA truck in water as was done for other US natural disasters?
Between the drought and Wall Street we have the recipe for disaster, the drought will definitely hurt us all, but Wall Street will always cash-in to finish us off!!! I fear a famine may ensue if Wall Street doesn't make enlough profit. Years ago my fears would be ridiculous but with the Radical Right declaring war on everyone, my fears are sound. America can always handle adversity but with internal strife we just may fail. Priorities must be placed on solving our challenges rather than challenging our solvers!!!