Flash Drought Gripping US Threatens to Raise Food Prices in 2025
- Beef prices likely to rise as dry conditions shrivel grasses
- Winter wheat vulnerable as rain fails to arrive across Plains
As much as 50% of the winter wheat crop is in danger because the plants need soil moisture to strengthen and to be insulated from freezes.
Photographer: Arin Yoon/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A flash drought that has taken hold of much of the US is threatening to push beef prices higher and could damage winter wheat crops across the Great Plains.
The amount of land affected by all classes of drought increased through October across the country and now covers more than 45% of the contiguous US, Mark Svoboda, director of the National Drought Mitigation Center, said in a call with reporters. About 31% of that area was in drought at the start of last month.