AgWeb published a report today on a talk given to the Texas Plant Protection Association by Carlos Rubinstein, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board. The talk covered the effects of recent droughts on crop and livestock production in the state. Rubinstein reviewed the impacts of the 2009-2011 drought on farm incomes and discussed the growing population in Texas and what that might mean for future water needs. Dr. Travis Miller of Texas A&M noted that the 2011 drought cost $7.6 billion in agricultural losses on top of those from earlier years. The beef herd went from 5.35 million in 2005 to 3.91 million in 2014 due to loss of pasture and heat stress. This has had other impacts such as closing of packing plants in the area. You can read the article by clicking here.
