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U.S. corn estimate lowered to reflect harvest yields
DES MOINES, Iowa — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday slightly lowered its projection for the nation’s corn crop for a fourth straight month, reflecting worse-than-expected news about the actual impact of this year’s withering drought from the farmers busy harvesting their fields. The USDA estimates that farmers will harvest 10.71 billion bushels of […]
Homes cracking due to drought-parched soil
ST. LOUIS — Carol DeVaughan assumed her suburban St. Louis home was simply settling when cracks appeared in the walls. When she noticed huge gaps between her fireplace and ceiling, and that her family room was starting to tilt, she knew she had bigger problems. Like thousands of other Americans getting stuck with huge repair […]
Small businesses look to plan B in extreme weather
NEW YORK — This summer, many small businesses that depend on high temperatures got more than they bargained for. Across the nation, July was the hottest month ever in the continental U.S., according to the government’s National Climatic Data Center. It was also the driest since 2001, according to Planalytics Inc., a company that analyzes […]
Mikulski, Cardin ask EPA to relax corn-to-fuel rule
WASHINGTON — Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski says she is among a group of senators asking the Environmental Protection Agency to relax renewable fuel standards to require less corn. Mikulski says that will help ease corn supply shortages caused by drought conditions this year. Mikulski says other senators signing the letter include Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, […]
USDA says drought will push up food prices in 2013
MINNEAPOLIS — The record drought gripping half the country will help push food prices up by 3 percent to 4 percent next year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday. Milk, eggs, beef, poultry and pork prices will all be affected by the drought, which has pushed up prices for feed. Beef prices are expected […]
Vilsack: House must pass drought help in farm bill
DES MOINES, Iowa — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pushed Monday for Congress to act on a farm bill that would reinstate expired disaster assistance programs for farmers experiencing the worst drought in nearly seven decades. Programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill have expired and won’t be renewed unless the House approves a bill passed […]
Not quite ‘organic’ wine production
It is a challenging year for people who make a living tilling the soil, due to the earliest start to the growing season on record, and, in many places, continuing drought. Yet plenty of heat and sunshine also have made it the easiest year ever to do what I do — grow wine grapes. The […]
Drought watch declared in central, western Md.
The Maryland Department of the Environment has issued a drought watch for western and central Maryland, joining most of the Eastern Shore. The drought watch announced Wednesday covers Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Carroll, Harford and Cecil counties, along with the portions of Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore counties that are not served by the Baltimore City […]
Feds approve aid to Md. farmers due to drought
ANNAPOLIS — The federal government has approved assistance for Maryland farmers who lost 30 percent of their crops or more due to drought this summer. Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration said Monday the assistance announced late last week includes Farm Service Agency emergency loans and other assistance. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s disaster declaration applies to 22 [&h[...]
Dry spell has Maryland bordering on drought
Maryland’s dry spell is bordering on a regional drought, and the rain in the forecast is unlikely to change that status. Some of the state’s driest regions were expected to see isolated showers Wednesday into Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, with more expected as a front comes through this weekend. Still, 84 percent […]
