|
Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot | Corn silage is probably going to be hard to find. Water supply all depends on the area. Some guys are 100% on wells, but those areas are really pretty rare, and might depend on recharge from neighboring areas that have surface deliveries. Most areas are a mix, with a few backup wells, but that water will be going to permanent crops most likely, almonds, walnuts, other trees and grapes. The places that are entirely dependent upon surface water (like most of the Central Valley, which is probably the most productive agricultural region in the world) are in tough, tough shape. Surface water ranges from 0-40% from what I understand.
Be a lot alfalfa coming in from OR, ID, WA, NV, UT and AZ. Maybe further, I don't know. Been lot of hay being offloaded here lately, and stockpiled to load up on CA trucks. Hard to guess how much since there are a few of us doing it just in this area, and it is gone within a few days to a week. Lot of truckers I deal with have been all over this winter already, and the real shortage hasn't even hit yet. There will be enough alfalfa this summer I think, but if everyone is buying and moving hay this summer, it means we won't go into winter with 80% of our production stockpiled for winter takeout as usual. If I had a dairy, I'd be worrying about later this year myself.
Sad part is, this might move more guys out of CA. If other issues weren't enough already. Still going to be the #1 dairy state, I don't think the industry is going to fizzle out or anything, but as a hay grower here I really like a big, robust dairy industry. $400 alfalfa won't help anyone in the long run. | |
|
California Dairy Farms/ Drought
