US Not Alone with Drought Woes

Drought in India

I was traveling through Illinois corn and soybean country recently, and it was plain to see the drought's impact on the crops. Many plants had brown stems, and some local businesspeople told me that any ears of corn that do emerge will have fewer kernels or none at all. The consequences of this agricultural disaster are quickly being spelled out. The major impact will be felt by livestock and poultry producers, as corn and soybeans are essential to the animals' diets. In an article in today's Financial Times, the chief executive of Smithfield Foods asserted that the once unquestioned availability of inexpensive meat for most Americans was now in doubt.

Have you considered going on a diet? Sound as if now might be the time to start. It's not as if you would be giving up meat. After all, you can't eat what you can't buy.

Whatever Americans face, though, is manageable compared to Asia. A post in the financial blog zerohedge.com noted that the monsoon season in India has delivered over 20% less precipitation than normal. This situation would mean reduced food and animal feed supply for the world's second most populous nation. That does not sound like a good scenario at all.