According to the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, yield losses from the 2012 drought caused large crop insurance payments. In 2012, higher loss ratios occurred in eastern Kansas, Missouri, central and southern Illinois, western Indiana, and western Kentucky. Many of these counties had loss ratios above 4.0. Hot, dry weather during the summer caused these areas to have large yield losses. This appears to be the center of the drought impacting the Midwest. Other areas that had loss ratios above 4.00 include an area centered around northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota, parts of southern and southwest Iowa, and parts of southern Wisconsin, northwest Illinois, and east-central Iowa.

“The month of May was very dry across the region with most sites across northwestern Missouri and eastern Kansas seeing precipitation deficits of two to four inches. May is climatologically one of the wettest months of the year, but the precipitation was mostly lacking. Despite the lack of rainfall, conditions have been humid and this has helped the area from drying out more rapidly. Overall, the drought monitor depicts similar conditions to the previous weeks. Moderate drought remains mainly over eastern Kansas and Western Missouri with abnormally dry conditions further east.”

These conditions greatly affect the crops grown within our state. Dry weather and droughts can cause crop damage and loss of profit for the farmers who grow them.

“For the state of Kansas, through May 25, the winter wheat crop was rated as 61 percent poor or very poor. Pasture conditions were rated as 43 percent poor or very poor. Hay and other forages were rated as 35 percent short or very short, and stock water supplies were rated as 49 percent short or very short. Also, 93 percent of the corn crop had been planted.”

In an Associated Press article from May 20, the conditions of crops and the drought were crop conditions are not fairing well.

“The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 59 percent of the winter wheat is in poor to very poor condition. About 29 percent is listed as fair, with just 11 percent rated as good and 1 percent excellent. The agency says that with pasture grasses shortened by drought, some producers are turning cattle out to graze the failed wheat. About 86 percent of the state’s corn has now been planted, along with 7 percent of the sorghum and 32 percent of soybeans.”

Due to the state’s drought situation, the Kansas Water Office has formed a Drought Operations Plan alongside the Governor’s Drought Team. Kansas law requires the Kansas Water Office notify the Governor when drought conditions are present in the state and recommend assembly of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. This team is responsible for ensuring that adequate state resources are committed to drought response in a coordinated manner.

According to the Kansas Water Office, drought can have significant economic and environmental impacts. Drought can create favorable conditions for wildfires and wind erosion and the associated heat, dust and stress can all adversely affect health. There are many definitions of drought. For the purposes of this Operations Plan drought is defined as “A period of abnormally dry weather that persists long enough to produce serious economic, environmental or social impacts.”

While drought is a natural phenomenon, actions taken by individuals and by government at all levels can do much to reduce its impact.

Source - http://tmn.fhsu.edu/