Farmers consider grim future after staple crops become increasingly harder to grow: 'It won't be good for anybody'

A breadbasket state has just endured one of its harshest Octobers, continuing a yearslong trend that has put farmers and their crops in dire straits.

What's happening?

PBS reported that Oklahoma underwent its fourth-driest 30-day stretch in documented history last month, receiving 0.4 inches of rain. This near-record starkly contrasts what falls are like in the state, which typically brings cooler and wetter conditions. 

Data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 52.68% of the state experienced some level of drought on Nov. 19, but as much as 92.27% was in some form of drought as recently as Oct. 29. Southwest Oklahoma, the state's hub for cotton production, had less than a half-inch of rain in each of the last three months.

However, the lack of precipitation is one of many climate issues Oklahoma is facing, as some counties have recently seen tornadoes, flash floods, and dropping temperatures wreak havoc on residents.

"You'd really like to find someone to point the finger at and blame it on. But that person is not out there," cotton farmer Harvey Schroeder told PBS.

Why is Oklahoma's drought concerning?

These extreme and erratic weather patterns have devastated Oklahoma's agricultural sector, which finished in the top 10 in wheat and cotton production nationally last year.

According to Oklahoma State climatologist Gary McManus, the state has lost $500 million for the former and $240 million for the latter over the last two years because of extreme weather, per PBS.

"We get a lot of erosion, crop damage, flooding after huge rains like what we've had after long periods of drought," he added. "November is shaping up to be one of the craziest ones we've had in quite some time."

These declining yields have forced farmers to rely on reimbursements for lost crops via insurance to continue operating. However, that source of money can only go so far and may soon dry up if insurance companies cancel policies or pull out altogether. 

"I just hope they can stay hooked," Schroeder said of the producers he leases his land to. "If they can't receive financing or if insurance companies stop insuring, it won't be good for anybody." 

The extended drought has also exhausted local reservoirs reserved for emergencies and could permanently disrupt habitats, increase the likelihood of wildfires, and send the food supply into disarray.

What's being done about Oklahoma's drought and suffering crop harvests?

Experts worldwide are researching cotton and wheat at a genetic level to breed drought-tolerant variations. Farmers in Oklahoma could soon benefit from these developments, helping preserve their livelihood and stabilize their income. 

Meanwhile, Oklahoma is taking a more proactive approach to rising global temperatures through its wind power, as Climate Central found it ranked fourth domestically in wind capacity and electricity generated from wind power.

Sustainable forms of energy can help curb our reliance on dirty energy and, thus, all of the repercussions of an overheating planet. 

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