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USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

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Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#11

Post by Forgeties79 »

embedding-shape wrote: post #8
btbuildem wrote: post #5

> growers expanded plantings of soybeans, which require less fertilizer than grains like corn and wheat It's not the drought per se, it's input costs. Farmers are favouring crops that need less nitrogen and potassium. Commodities have responded accordingly.

> growers expanded plantings of soybeans A year ago China stopped buying soybeans from the US is seems ("China Bought $12.6 Billion in U.S. Soybeans Last Year. Now, It’s $0." - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/business/china-soybean-sa... ), was that resumed, or who are all these new soybeans going to? Is it all for national use instead of export?

China has a tendency to shift to self-reliance or importing from more pliable neighborswhenever they execute policies like that. So even if they’re buying again, I highly doubt it is at the same rate it once was

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#12

Post by dakolli »

giantg2 wrote: post #2

It will only get worse for the next generation as the aquafers are continuing to be depleted.

we live in a closed greenhouse system, the water just doesn't just disappear and most of the Earth is covered in it. Plenty of countries completely rely on desalination already, I think we'll be fine. I'm much more concerned about everyone becoming a moron from using AI.

edit: cloud seeding too.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#14

Post by cogman10 »

embedding-shape wrote: post #8
btbuildem wrote: post #5

> growers expanded plantings of soybeans, which require less fertilizer than grains like corn and wheat It's not the drought per se, it's input costs. Farmers are favouring crops that need less nitrogen and potassium. Commodities have responded accordingly.

> growers expanded plantings of soybeans A year ago China stopped buying soybeans from the US is seems ("China Bought $12.6 Billion in U.S. Soybeans Last Year. Now, It’s $0." - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/business/china-soybean-sa... ), was that resumed, or who are all these new soybeans going to? Is it all for national use instead of export?

I expect other nations are still consuming US soybeans. China stopped because it was particularly negatively targeted by US tariff policy.

But make no mistake, it has caused problems for farmers.

The report from my small hometown farmers is that everything, except for beef, is down right now while the prices of inputs like fertilizer are high. Some of the farmers in my hometown have already sold their land to megacorp farmers in response because they simply can't survive.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#15

Post by 9rx »

evanjrowley wrote: post #4

Same region all the new data centers are being built. Unfortunately, humans can't eat data like they can wheat.

You can eat soybeans, though, which are seeing record production thanks to it supplanting what is affectionately known in agriculture circles as poverty grass.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#16

Post by atomicnumber3 »

dakolli wrote: post #12
giantg2 wrote: post #2

It will only get worse for the next generation as the aquafers are continuing to be depleted.

we live in a closed greenhouse system, the water just doesn't just disappear and most of the Earth is covered in it. Plenty of countries completely rely on desalination already, I think we'll be fine. I'm much more concerned about everyone becoming a moron from using AI. edit: cloud seeding too.

The problem is that aquifers are really cool natural filters, and only refill as fast as groundwater moves through the soil. So they're a finite resource. Instead of depleting them, people who want to farm in deserts should probably start desalinating or whatever themselves instead of assuming subsequent generations will do it.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#17

Post by fullstop »

ericpauley wrote: post #7

Title claims "due to plains drought" but the article text largely attributes this to increased planting of soy for its lower fertilizer requirements (related to Strait of Hormuz).

Has the USA's potash supply been reduced due to strained relations with Canada? They are our top supplier, by far.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#19

Post by threetonesun »

9rx wrote: post #15
evanjrowley wrote: post #4

Same region all the new data centers are being built. Unfortunately, humans can't eat data like they can wheat.

You can eat soybeans, though, which are seeing record production thanks to it supplanting what is affectionately known in agriculture circles as poverty grass.

There's some cosmic irony that this is happening when the people who came up with the derogatory term "soy boys" are in office, but I'm too depressed to laugh about it.

Re: USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

#20

Post by koverstreet »

fullstop wrote: post #17
ericpauley wrote: post #7

Title claims "due to plains drought" but the article text largely attributes this to increased planting of soy for its lower fertilizer requirements (related to Strait of Hormuz).

Has the USA's potash supply been reduced due to strained relations with Canada? They are our top supplier, by far.

Are you forgetting the nitrogen? :)
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