Extreme Weather Could Result In Food Shortages Few Are Prepared For
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The size of the US cattle herd has now dropped to a 61 year low, with organic food shortages being reported all across the nation. The twin factors driving this phenomenon are the recent cold weather, spurring an increase in demand for organic foods, and the extraordinarily long, massive drought that has the western half of the nation in its grip (the drought zone stretches from California to Texas).
Some highlights from a recent Fox News report included the following details about the situation to add to the broad picture above:
Since Christmas, cucumbers supplies from Florida have almost ground to a halt and the Mexican supply is coming but it's just not ready yet.
And as the basic theory of economics goes, less supply drives up prices.
Take organic berries for example: There was a strawberry shortage a couple weeks back and prices spiked.
Experts say the primary reasons for the shortages are weather and demand.
When supplies are tight and demand increases, prices will (predictably) skyrocket, as in the example below:
A quick check on the organic tree fruit market shows that the average price per carton for organic apples was $38 per carton in mid-January this year, up from an average of just $31 per carton last year at the same time. At least for apple marketers, the organic market is heating up.
Sadly, examples like these may be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The Governor of California, Jerry Brown, has recently declared a state-wide water emergency as reservoirs throughout the state have dropped to dangerously low levels.
Barring a miracle, there is simply not going to be enough water to go around for the entire agriculture industry. See this note from industry insider, Ray Gano:
Harris farms has released a statement saying they will leave about 40,000 acres fallow this year because the FEDS have decided to only deliver 10% of the water allocation for 2014. Lettuce is predicted to reach around $5.00 a head (if you can find it). Understand the farmers in the Salinas valley are considering the same action. So much for salad this summer unless you grow it yourself.
Why is California so important in terms of US agriculture? Consider that the state produces
• 99 percent of the artichokes grown in the US
• 44 percent of asparagus,
• 20% of cabbage
• Two-thirds of carrots
• 50% of bell peppers
• 89 percent of cauliflower
• 94 percent of broccoli
• 95 percent of celery
• 90 percent of the leaf lettuce we consume
• 83 percent of Romaine lettuce
• 83 percent of fresh spinach
• A third of total fresh tomatoes consumed in the U.S.—and 95 percent of ones destined for cans and other processing purposes
As for fruit-
• 86 percent of lemons
• 25% of oranges
• 84 percent of peaches
• 88 percent of fresh strawberries
• 97 percent of fresh plums
Sure, sure, some people will dismiss this because they don’t eat much in the way of fruits and vegetables anyway, but unfortunately, the beef industry is in the same kind of danger.
On January 1st, the U.S. cattle herd hit a 61-year low of 89.3 million head of cattle. The biggest reason for this is the aforementioned drought, now in its fifth year. This has been absolutely crippling to the cattle industry and no end appears in sight. The top five beef cattle producing states in the U.S. are Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, California and Oklahoma. These states alone supply 50% of our nations beef.
They are all states that have been severely impacted by drought, with little relief in sight - particularly California - where even dairy cattle producers are sending their heifers to slaughter because they can't supply water and forage to them. A warning was issued earlier this week that 17 communities throughout California could run out of water within the next 60 to 120 days and would be forced to possibly truck it in just to survive.
Back in the late fall 2013 there was a freak snowstorm that killed close to 300,000+ cattle, which of course was a major hit to the industry. Then consider that because of the drought, Texas ranchers are having to ship grass bails in from Colorado, Utah and other parts of the country just to feed the cattle.
Ranchers are sending their female cattle to the slaughter houses because they can’t afford to feed them anymore. It is the females that help re-stock the herd, and of course, if you’re slaughtering your females, your herd does not grow. It is expected that the US will not see cattle herd growth returning until 2017, maybe even later.
Even if the drought ends tomorrow the amount of rain needed to recharge the reservoirs and water table are enormous. They don't just need rain, they need rain of Biblical proportions to restore the root system that has created land so dry it is now repelling rain in some cases.
Quick stats on America’s Cattle herd
• The US cattle herd has seen a contraction for six straight years
• Total amount of US beef to be produced is expected to drop to a 20 year low in 2014
• Some cattle ranchers are reporting herd sizes up to 90 percent smaller than they were back in 2005
And lest you think that this problem is isolated to the United States, it isn’t. The largest freshwater lake in China that was once about twice the size of London, England, has almost entirely dried up because of the ongoing drought over there.
Meanwhile, global demand for food just continues to rise.
Things out west are rapidly changing, and in the end it is going to affect the lives of every man, woman and child in the United States.
(H/T: Economic Collapse Blog)
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/January31/311.html#TmTqTuLTMMQyAZkH.99
Share this article
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/January31/311.html
The size of the US cattle herd has now dropped to a 61 year low, with organic food shortages being reported all across the nation. The twin factors driving this phenomenon are the recent cold weather, spurring an increase in demand for organic foods, and the extraordinarily long, massive drought that has the western half of the nation in its grip (the drought zone stretches from California to Texas).
Some highlights from a recent Fox News report included the following details about the situation to add to the broad picture above:
Since Christmas, cucumbers supplies from Florida have almost ground to a halt and the Mexican supply is coming but it's just not ready yet.
And as the basic theory of economics goes, less supply drives up prices.
Take organic berries for example: There was a strawberry shortage a couple weeks back and prices spiked.
Experts say the primary reasons for the shortages are weather and demand.
When supplies are tight and demand increases, prices will (predictably) skyrocket, as in the example below:
A quick check on the organic tree fruit market shows that the average price per carton for organic apples was $38 per carton in mid-January this year, up from an average of just $31 per carton last year at the same time. At least for apple marketers, the organic market is heating up.
Sadly, examples like these may be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The Governor of California, Jerry Brown, has recently declared a state-wide water emergency as reservoirs throughout the state have dropped to dangerously low levels.
Barring a miracle, there is simply not going to be enough water to go around for the entire agriculture industry. See this note from industry insider, Ray Gano:
Harris farms has released a statement saying they will leave about 40,000 acres fallow this year because the FEDS have decided to only deliver 10% of the water allocation for 2014. Lettuce is predicted to reach around $5.00 a head (if you can find it). Understand the farmers in the Salinas valley are considering the same action. So much for salad this summer unless you grow it yourself.
Why is California so important in terms of US agriculture? Consider that the state produces
• 99 percent of the artichokes grown in the US
• 44 percent of asparagus,
• 20% of cabbage
• Two-thirds of carrots
• 50% of bell peppers
• 89 percent of cauliflower
• 94 percent of broccoli
• 95 percent of celery
• 90 percent of the leaf lettuce we consume
• 83 percent of Romaine lettuce
• 83 percent of fresh spinach
• A third of total fresh tomatoes consumed in the U.S.—and 95 percent of ones destined for cans and other processing purposes
As for fruit-
• 86 percent of lemons
• 25% of oranges
• 84 percent of peaches
• 88 percent of fresh strawberries
• 97 percent of fresh plums
Sure, sure, some people will dismiss this because they don’t eat much in the way of fruits and vegetables anyway, but unfortunately, the beef industry is in the same kind of danger.
On January 1st, the U.S. cattle herd hit a 61-year low of 89.3 million head of cattle. The biggest reason for this is the aforementioned drought, now in its fifth year. This has been absolutely crippling to the cattle industry and no end appears in sight. The top five beef cattle producing states in the U.S. are Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, California and Oklahoma. These states alone supply 50% of our nations beef.
They are all states that have been severely impacted by drought, with little relief in sight - particularly California - where even dairy cattle producers are sending their heifers to slaughter because they can't supply water and forage to them. A warning was issued earlier this week that 17 communities throughout California could run out of water within the next 60 to 120 days and would be forced to possibly truck it in just to survive.
Back in the late fall 2013 there was a freak snowstorm that killed close to 300,000+ cattle, which of course was a major hit to the industry. Then consider that because of the drought, Texas ranchers are having to ship grass bails in from Colorado, Utah and other parts of the country just to feed the cattle.
Ranchers are sending their female cattle to the slaughter houses because they can’t afford to feed them anymore. It is the females that help re-stock the herd, and of course, if you’re slaughtering your females, your herd does not grow. It is expected that the US will not see cattle herd growth returning until 2017, maybe even later.
Even if the drought ends tomorrow the amount of rain needed to recharge the reservoirs and water table are enormous. They don't just need rain, they need rain of Biblical proportions to restore the root system that has created land so dry it is now repelling rain in some cases.
Quick stats on America’s Cattle herd
• The US cattle herd has seen a contraction for six straight years
• Total amount of US beef to be produced is expected to drop to a 20 year low in 2014
• Some cattle ranchers are reporting herd sizes up to 90 percent smaller than they were back in 2005
And lest you think that this problem is isolated to the United States, it isn’t. The largest freshwater lake in China that was once about twice the size of London, England, has almost entirely dried up because of the ongoing drought over there.
Meanwhile, global demand for food just continues to rise.
Things out west are rapidly changing, and in the end it is going to affect the lives of every man, woman and child in the United States.
(H/T: Economic Collapse Blog)
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/January31/311.html#TmTqTuLTMMQyAZkH.99
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