Effects of U.S. Drought 2012

Image by DS Pugh

“Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness.”

Isaiah 50:2

Isaiah teaches us God’s in control of the elements and can cause droughts.

The United States 2012 Drought is the worst drought the U.S. has seen since the 1930s.  The drought hit the Great Plains the hardest, including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Meteorologists predict Oklahoma will break it’s all-time high temperature (113 degrees) this Wednesday (at 115 degrees).

Here are some of the effects the drought will have on the U.S. this year:

U.S. Drought 2012 effects:

Failing crops

• Farms are producing less food due to the lack of water.
• Only 48% of the corn in the United States is top-quality (as of July 1)- down 21% from last year.
• U.S. corn stockpiles dropped 48% between March and June, the largest drop in 16 years.

Higher food prices

• Since June 15th food prices have risen: corn costs 33% more, wheat costs 23% more and soybeans cost 13% more.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects Americans will pay 3-4% more for their groceries in 2013.
• Animal products such as milk, eggs, beef, poultry and pork will cost more because of higher prices for animal feed.

Lower river levels

• Extreme heat has evaporated water in rivers, lakes and streams.
• The Mississippi River water level is down 50 feet in some areas, inhibiting barge traffic from Illinois to Mississippi.

Natural disaster areas

• More than one half of U.S. Counties are drought disaster zones.
• As of July 18, 2012 more than 29 states have counties that are natural disaster areas due to the drought.
• The drought has spread to 60% of the United States.

“Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster.”  

-  Jim Wallis

Personal Notes:  I believe the drought will go away if Americans rely on the Lord.  The Lord has power to seal the heavens.  I remember when the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley visited the Latter-day Saints in Chile in 1999.  At the time Chile was experiencing a severe drought.  President Hinckley prayed for rain, and it began to downpour.  Because the members of the LDS Church were meeting outside, they prayed for the rain to stop.  After the meeting, President Hinckley said the rain could start again and it did.  I know God and His prophet have power to control the elements.

-See also Quotes about Drought 2012