Climate change represents an “existential threat” to agriculture in California. CA Depart. of Food and Agriculture, who says 8 of 20 major crops grown in California could be most affected by increasingly hot and dry conditions.
California’s almond production is expected to drop by 11% this year, with the yield falling 2.6 billion pounds. Annual U.S. retail prices for beef and veal are projected to rise 6 to 7% in 2022.
America’s beef exports remained on a red-hot pace in June, topping $1 billion for the fifth time this year. Over 50% of the U.S. was in at least some level of drought for the fourth-straight week.
U.S. farmland prices increased 12.4% over the last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. California Ag seen a drop in production as water supplies diminish.
A California company intends to build the first ethanol plant in America powered by sugar cane. The latest Drought Monitor shows much of the U.S. is dealing with dry conditions.
This year’s California tomato forecast is growing smaller. In January, the USDA predicted tomato farmers would produce 12.2 million tons, but that estimate has been revised downward, to 11.7 million tons.
The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council applauded the Biden administration last week for its initiation of a second U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement dispute panel.