Drought Conditions Worsen In Upper Plains.

Nov 09, 2012

While the overall drought conditions in the contiguous United States have not changed much in the last four weeks, the weekly Drought Monitor shows the dry conditions are intensifying in the High Plains. 95 percent of Nebraska is now in extreme drought, 84 percent of Kansas is in extreme drought while South Dakota has nearly 57 percent in extreme drought. To the south, 75 percent of Oklahoma is in extreme drought.

Overall, the High Plains have 84 percent in severe drought, 57 percent extreme drought and 27 percent exceptional drought. In the Midwest: 30 percent severe drought, 11 percent extreme and 0.28 percent in exceptional drought. Nationally, the continental United States has 59 percent in moderate drought, 38 percent severe drought, 19 percent extreme and 6 percent in exceptional drought.

Read the latest Drought Monitor here:

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.