The Biden administration has declared a grazing emergency in six states.
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, and Nebraska have several counties that qualify for emergency grazing or haying.
The United States Department of Agriculture defines an emergency haying and grazing order as a method to “provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster. Emergency haying and grazing status is reviewed and authorized each Thursday using the U.S. Drought monitor. Counties are approved for emergency haying and grazing due to drought conditions on a county by county basis, when a county is designated as level “D2 Drought – Severe” according to the U.S.”
The emergency allows farmers to let their livestock graze or create hay on land that was meant for conservation.
The drought that took place during the summer of 2023 has forced the USDA to declare an emergency.
However, it gets worse: the drought is also affecting wheat prices, and it’s speculated that 2024 flour prices will skyrocket.
From Food Business News:
Two of the three largest wheat classes grown in the United States — hard red winter and hard red spring — face moisture challenges that may limit yields and production in 2023, tightening stocks and heightening the risk of above-average flour prices into 2024.
The crops in Kansa, Oklahoma, and Texas are facing a tough decision to scrap their crops, and there is talk that crop insurance companies may pay out a record amount.
“Crop insurance adjusters are overwhelmed with calls and putting the decision back on the farmers of whether or not they’ll take insurance on those fields, zero it out, not take it to harvest,” Kansa Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin said.
If grain prices go up, everything from beef to pasta goes up.
Which is why it’s a good idea to be prepared.
For example, simple things like stocking up on canned vegetables now can help. Or swing by your local farmers market, stock up on produce and can it yourself.
Additionally, depending on where you lived just a few years ago, in the early days of the pandemic, you may have struggled to get groceries for a week or two. My family, we had stocked up a bit so we skated by.
Another option is using products like My Patriot Supply, which have products for under $50 that can get you through a week just in case something crazy happens, and it’s actual food.
Inflation has caused food prices to skyrocket; add in another global nightmare, and you’ll be glad you prepared.