BOISE — Droughts can be harsh on the farmers who are directly impacted, but farmers as a group benefit from droughts because they reduce production and drive prices up, according to a University of Idaho ag economists.
“The old thing that drought is bad for farmers is just not there,” Garth Taylor said.
“The sky is not falling when there’s a drought.” Taylor pointed out that during the most recent extended drought period in the United States, the value of crop production in the U.S. set records in 2012 and 2013.
Crop value records were set in California from 2012-2014 despite that state suffering a severe drought and records were also set in Idaho, Washington and Oregon in 2012.
Taylor’s presentation came during a joint meeting of the Western Snow Conference and Weather Modification Association here April 18 “That was a very unique perspective and view on drought that I had not heard before,” moderator Mel Kunkel, an Idaho Power hydrometeorologist, told attendees.
In Idaho, he found that during nine drought periods since 1958, farm income or farm GDP in the state reached record levels.
“The more the quantity goes down, the higher the prices,” he said.
“That is very much overlooked when we look at the effects of drought and climate change.” Taylor told Capital Press that many farmers are initially shocked when he shares this data with them “but when you explain it to them, they understand.
“When you have good water years, it causes prices to go down because you’re over-producing.” Sponsored Ellen Shocks LGBT Community & Confirms She Is Moving On Many knew what Ellen’s plan was, but no one expected it to leak like this….
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