This record Heat Wave is effecting more than the poor and the indignant.
as of a few hours ago:
US heat wave deaths climb to 24, heat to intensify
This record Heat Wave is effecting the 'bread and butter' of America's Food Basket, too:
Iowa:
Ray Naeve, a cattle producer in Andover, Iowa, has lost three steers this week and many area farmers are dealing with the same thing. "They were fine last night when we walked through them. Then this morning we found them just laying. When it gets extreme heat you see their tongues come out real far and panting like they can't get their breath," said Naeve.
Farmers have been doing whatever they can to make the cattle comfortable. They give them clean water, fresh bedding and their best feed. Some producers have brought in fans or, like Naeve, are watering the animals down with sprinklers. The cattle are either in open air barns or in yards where there is hopefully a breeze. However, the past couple of days that hasn't been the case.
[...]
Each steer lost can cost a farmer about $15,000. If losses are great enough, producers can file a claim. There is a Livestock Indemnity Program where producers who've lost animals because of the weather may be eligible to get a percentage of the losses back. Farmers have 30 days to apply.
I bet Rush has a field day with that program ...
on second thought, perhaps not ... I suspect he is a Big fan of Beef.
Minnesota:
[...]
One dairy farmer plans to apply for the program [Livestock Indemnity Program], but Phillip Danhof is also upset by the loss of his beloved cows.
"I've never seen anything like this before. We've had high humidity but not such a long stretch, and this time around we got hurt," Danhof said.
Danhof lost seven cows in the last week, putting a dent in his pocketbook and a hole in his heart.
"I have lost more cows this week than I ever have in thirty-five years of farming," Danhof said.
Danhof said he did the best he could to keep the cows cool, including hosing them down and using fans in the barn, but the weather was no match for some of his cattle.
Illinois:
"The hot, dry conditions that are widespread across Illinois may be good for the development of crops; however, have proven to be detrimental for livestock producers," said Giamanco. "Producers need to document the number and kind of livestock that have died as a result of the excessive heat and timely notify their local FSA office of these losses."
I suspect the Wheat Farmers in Texas, might care to differ with that assessment of the "helpful benefits" of all that Heat for their crops ...
larger
more maps and animations from: drought.unl.edu
Texas:
Right now, approximately 29 percent of the country is experiencing some level of drought. About 12 percent of the U.S. is experiencing “exceptional drought”, which is the highest level of drought. The combination of very little rain and scorching heat over much of the nation has been absolutely devastating. [...]
Currently, approximately 72 percent of the state of Texas is dealing with “exceptional drought” conditions. It has been estimated that 30 percent of the wheat fields in Texas will be lost. Agricultural losses from the drought of 2011 are projected to be $3 billion in the state of Texas alone.
[...]
But Texas is not alone. Most of Arizona, all of New Mexico, all of Oklahoma, most of Arkansas, all of Louisiana, most of Mississippi, most of Alabama, most of Georgia, most of Florida, most of South Carolina and most of North Carolina are also dealing with drought conditions.
This drought is hitting many of our most significant agricultural areas. If we don’t get a significant amount of rain in some of these areas soon the losses are going to be catastrophic.
Just another day at the Office in one of the World's more essential Bread-Baskets ...
Just another day for the record books, I guess.
Why do we keep those record books, anyways? ... when so many people just continue to 'shrug their shoulders', when it comes to the dire Scientific Warnings about the many Un-Beneficial Effects we can expect, due to CO2-induced Climate Change?
Many they haven't even thought of yet.
Someone ask Guinness Book, already. What is the fascination with record breaking, anyways?
Heat Wave Sweeps Across the U.S.
from NOAAVisualizations
http://youtu.be/...
"Fascinatin' -- ain't it?" ... Shrug !?