Southern Farms Devastated by Drought and Flooding Oct. 18 2011

The south has been severely devastated this whole year when it comes to having disasters.  They have experienced the worst droughts in decades and some of the worst flooding as well in a long time.  Farmers just west of the Mississippi River have perhaps experienced the most, having both hazards wreck their crops.  The cost of bad weather in these farming regions for is figured to hit $1 billion for the farmers.  Individual farmers in Arkansas have been reported to have lost 200 acres or more of farm land due to flooding in the spring and now have had their cattle grazing land be shot due to the severe drought, costing some farmers close to $100,000.  States like Arkansas and Louisiana have lost close to $1 billion by themselves statewide from these hazards.  This is a huge deal because these two states alone supply 60% of our nation's rice but due to the flooding the supply has gone down dramatically, resulting in higher prices.  Farmers had said that this has been the most expensive year ever because of the need for irrigation due to the record drought.  Because of the severe contrast of weather in the last few month is this region, flooding in the spring and drought currently, the region's farm land has been desecrated resulting in many of our important crops not being produced like normal.    http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/news-41/top-stories-169/iwitness-dust-bowl-2011-22232