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The Midwest Cattleman · August 5, 2021 · P10
INTERNATIONAL BEEF TRADE UPDATE SEVERE DROUGHT has issued an executive order
By Josh Maples, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University continued from page 3 asking all Californians to vol-
untarily reduce water use by
USDA ERS released the es- South Korea and Japan and less in the way of grazing 15%. But it’s not as simple as
timates for beef trade during were the top export desti- sustenance and as demand for turning the sprinkler off for
the month of May on July nations for U.S. beef during feed rises, so do the costs. And farmers and ranchers.
6th. The export data show a May. Exports to China con- just like crops, animals need to “There are no silver-bullet
sharp increase as compared tinue to be strong as China be watered, too. opportunities to just 'use less
to the pandemic-disrupted has been the third largest ex- A recent Farm Bureau sur- water' without sacrificing pro-
levels from a year ago. port destination for U.S. beef vey of farmers and ranchers in ductivity and the livelihoods
Beef and veal exports year-to-date during 2021 fol- drought-stricken states shows of people in farm communi-
were 69 percent higher in lowed by Mexico and Cana- that more than 85% of respon- ties,” said Jamie Johansson,
May 2021 as compared to da. The latest WASDE report dents rated selling off portions president of the California
May 2020. Of course, May showed a bump in expecta- of their herd or flock as prev- Farm Bureau. “While demand
2020 was far from normal. tions for beef exports during alent or higher in their area. for water can be reduced, one
As shown in the export chart 2021 as compared to a year Similarly, 77% rated reducing thing will not change and that
above, May and June 2020 ago based “on continued firm acreage as prevalent or higher is the public’s demand for
were exceptionally low ex- demand in Asia.” The latest in their area. food.”
port months as trade was dis- WASDE forecast is a 16 per- Earlier this year, Texas In addition, a map from the
rupted due to the pandemic. cent increase in exports this farmer and rancher Ross Co- California Farm Water Coali-
Even though the compari- year compared to 2020. peland shared his experienc- tion showing water cutbacks
son to a low level from 2020 Imports during May 2021 es dealing with drought with indicates agricultural regions
leads to the large percent- were very similar to a year Republican members of the throughout the state have al-
age increase, that shouldn’t ago. As shown in the chart House Committee on Natural ready far exceeded the 15% in
hide the fact that beef ex- below, the biggest pandemic Resources. the form of reduced allocations,
ports during May 2021 were impact on imports occurred “There have been many fac- water rights curtailments and
very strong. The 318-mil- during the summer of 2020 tors over the years making it proposed or existing emergen-
lion-pound total was the larg- when imports spiked. Sum- increasingly difficult to con- cy regulations.
est monthly total on record mer 2021 is expected to be tinue farming and ranching,” Johansson noted that ex-
and was 6 percent higher lower than last year. On the Copeland told the lawmakers. pected water supplies for
than the next largest month- import side, the WASDE “However, severe drought is one-quarter of the state’s ir-
ly total. May 2021 exports forecast is a 10 percent de- one of the largest issues we rigated farmland has already
were 16.7 percent above May cline for 2021 as compared to face.” been reduced by 95%, and more
2019. January-May 2021 2020. Copeland is a fifth-gener- than half of that farmland is
beef exports are 17.7 per- ation farmer and rancher. He getting no surface water at all.
cent above the same period and his family raise cattle and Norm Groot, executive di-
of 2020. sheep and grow crops in Coke, rector of the Monterey County
Sterling, Scurry and San Saba Farm Bureau, said the prima-
counties. ry concern at this point is 2022.
He’s no stranger to cracked “If we don't have precipi-
ground desperate for the next tation this winter, our reser-
rain. voirs will not have sufficient
As part of their farm rota- water supplies to continue re-
tion, Copeland often plants leases for consistent recharge
winter wheat in September or in 2022,” Groot said. “We are
October and turns cattle out conscripted to release water
on the fields to graze in late throughout the year due to
winter or early spring. But se- [National Oceanic and Atmo-
vere drought conditions forced spheric Administration] Fish-
Copeland to reevaluate that eries requirements for habitat
plan for the last two years. and fish passage, which helps
“The worsening drought with groundwater recharge
made it impossible for us to but doesn't allow us to man-
grow a wheat crop, causing age our water storage for long-
major disruption to our op- term efficiency.”
eration. Due to this, we have
been forced to
buy feed for
cattle and even
sell some of our
herd to make
ends meet,” he
said.
In California,
where 50 of the
state’s 58 coun-
ties are under a
drought state of
emergency, Gov.
Gavin Newsom Stone Ranch, Wyoming (Hall & Hall)
