HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Hot and dry conditions have left 93% of Texas in some level of drought, according to a new article by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
Cattle farmer Ray Law said drought in Texas, unfortunately, isn’t new.
“We’re technically in a drought, you can say, since 2019, and it’s really starting to add up,” Law said.
A Texas A&M Agrilife article says 35% of Texas is experiencing a severe drought this year alone. These conditions mean crops are having a harder time growing and producing less.
Southeast Texas has fared the best according to experts at Texas A&M. Good news for Law’s herd, which is mostly grass-fed. But Law said colleagues in central and west Texas have reported that rising grain prices have forced some farmers to sell off their herds.
“They’re limited on grass and so, if you don’t have the grass you have to sell off the cows,” Law said.
Fewer crops and less grass and cattle mean the meat at grocery stores or your local farmers market is in demand and getting more expensive to produce. Law said that fact is directly reflected in the product’s price.
“I look at doing, having to do a price increase, and I think, good grief, are they going to pay this amount, and they do, fortunately,” Law said.
Texas A&M AgriLife said it takes more than a few good rainfalls to turn a drought around. The prolonged hot, dry weather in parts of Texas will continue to affect farming in the coming years.
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