AUSTIN -- Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs said Friday the Texas agricultural industry is facing a crisis situation as most farmers and ranchers across the state are currently enduring their third drought in four years.
"Many people are unaware that the state is in a drought," Combs said in a press conference held at the state capitol. "1999 was one of the driest years on record. Texas farmers and ranchers are facing a serious situation."
Travis Miller, a soil and crop science specialist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, said much of the Texas wheat crop in the western region of the state is in critical condition.
Texas producers have planted 5.8 million acres of wheat, which is down 6 percent from last year. Ninety-one percent of the state's winter wheat crop is in fair to very poor condition.
"West of Interstate 35, we've got a crop that is in terrible shape," Miller said. "A lot of it is dying, much of it didn't come up at all. In the Edwards Plateau, Rolling Plains, a lot of it has been declared a disaster.
"Very little grazing has occurred in our dryland wheat crop. It either came up late or not at all. Moisture was inadequate to produce forage for grazing. We lost most of our winter grazing from our stocker cattle industry and small grain pastures in the state."
Livestock producers have been the hardest hit by the drought as stock tanks are drying up in many counties. Seventy-one percent of the state's ranges and pastures are in poor to very poor condition. Combs said the livestock industry accounts for 62 percent of the state's agricultural economy.
"At its continued pace, it could be devastating," Combs said. Cattle prices are higher than a year ago, but ranchers will lose money by being forced to sell off herds because of a lack of water and forage.
"Water is not to be had," Miller said. "It takes 25 gallons a head a day to maintain a cow and it's virtually impossible to haul daily water supplies for cattle."
Not only have crops and livestock suffered from dry conditions, but wildlife populations are also threatened by the drought.
"The wildlife specialists that I've talked to have indicated there's probably a need for supplemental feed and supplemental water programs to maintain a healthy wildlife situation," Miller said. "We are coming into a critical time as far as that's concerned. If we don't have significant rain in the spring, then it will probably hurt wildlife populations." Miller said the latest drought will be adding even more negative impact to the agricultural economy.
"When we're talking about economic impact, you've got to keep in mind the injury that has happened over the past four years from drought," he said. "We've had a combination of three droughts in four years and extremely low commodity prices. Grain, cotton, soybean ... all of the prices of commodities have been at extremely low levels.
"Even if we made a good crop in 1999, farmers might not have had enough money to pay the debts incurred in 1998 and 1996. Then we're faced with another drought here. Extreme economic conditions exist on our farms and ranches throughout a lot of Texas."
The Texas Department of Agriculture is providing drought information assistance packets One version is being provided for producers and another version for local officials who need to apply for emergency relief, Combs said.
TDA has sent the packets to county judges, county Extension agents and local Farm Service Agency and Texas Farm Bureau offices. Farmers and ranchers may receive a copy of the producer information package by calling the agency's State Drought Coordinator Bill Breese at (512) 463-7517.
Currently, 75 Texas counties have been declared disasters due to drought and are eligible for disaster assistance. The paperwork for an additional 13 counties is in Washington awaiting approval.
The TDA's Hay and Grazing Hotline is receiving two to three calls a day from ranchers needing hay, Combs said. The hotline has been updated to notify ranchers about available pastures for forage.
The hotline is toll-free at (877) 429-1998 and also can be assessed through the TDA's Web site at www.agr.state.tx.us.
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