VOA新闻杂志2022 美国小麦减产

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American farmers are having crop production problems at a time when many countries are facing a food crisis¹.

在许多国家面临粮食危机之际，美国农民正面临作物生产问题。

The United States is the world's fourth-largest wheat exporter.

美国是全球第四大小麦出口国。

Russia's invasion² of Ukraine in February stopped shipments³ of nearly a third of the world's wheat exports. Little has gone right for wheat supplies since then.

俄罗斯在2月份入侵乌克兰导致全球近1/3的小麦出口中断。从那时起，小麦供应几乎没有进展。

Concerns about food supplies have increased because of worsening harvest possibilities in China and parts of Europe. In addition to that, major producer India has banned wheat exports because of a bad spring harvest there.

由于中国和欧洲部分地区收成可能恶化，对粮食供应的担忧有所增加。除此之外，主要生产国印度因春季收成不佳而禁止小麦出口。

The United Nations has warned the effect of the war on grains, oils, fuel and fertilizer⁴ could result in hunger for millions of people.

联合国警告说，战争对谷物、石油、燃料和化肥的影响可能会导致数百万人挨饿。

Drought⁵ in some areas; wet conditions in others

部分地区干旱，其它地区潮湿

The U.S. government has been calling on American farmers to plant more winter wheat this autumn. The government said it also would permit planting on some environmentally sensitive land beginning this autumn. But a drought and costly⁶ farm materials could limit production gains, grain experts say.

美国政府一直呼吁美国农民今年秋天种植更多的冬小麦。政府表示，从今年秋天开始，它还将允许在一些环境敏感的土地上种植。但粮食专家表示，干旱和昂贵的农资可能会限制产量增长。

There are two wheat crops in the United States: spring wheat and winter wheat. Both are in trouble.

美国有两种小麦作物：春小麦和冬小麦。两者都有麻烦。

In the southern U.S. Plains, winter wheat farmers have received very little rain and are concerned about the size of their harvest.

在美国南部平原，冬小麦种植者很少遇到下雨，他们担心收成规模。

Kansas farmers may not harvest thousands of hectares of wheat in fields this year because of drought damage.

由于旱灾，堪萨斯州农民今年数千公顷的小麦可能没有收成。

Extremely wet spring weather in the northern U.S. Plains will also likely reduce crop production this year.

美国北部平原春季极端潮湿的天气也可能导致今年作物产量减少。

In North Dakota, a big April storm left the state's large fields under more than 1 meter of snow in some areas, causing floods as the snow melted.

在北达科他州，四月份一场大风暴使该州大片土地有部分地区积雪超过1米，随着积雪融化而引发洪水。

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers have only planted 49 percent of planned spring wheat as of May 22.

美国农业部表示，截止5月22日，农民只种植了规划中49%的春小麦。

North Dakota produces about half of the U.S. spring wheat. There, growers have planted just 27 percent of their crop, the second lowest amount in around 40 years.

北达科州生产大约一半的美国春小麦。当地农民只种植了27%的作物，是大约40年来第二低的数量。

"Some farmers have not turned a wheel yet," said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner⁷ Doug Goehring. He added that if farmers are not able to plant a lot of crops quickly, the effects on the world market could be bad.

北达科他州农业专员道格·戈林表示：“一些农民还没动过拖拉机。”他还表示，如果农民不能迅速种植大量农作物，对世界市场的影响可能会很糟糕。

Giving up on the harvest?

放弃收成？

A private group visiting wheat fields in Kansas in mid-May predicted more fields than normal might go unharvested because of drought damage.

一家私人团体在5月中旬访问堪萨斯州的麦田时预测，由于干旱造成的损失，可能会有超出平时的麦田无法收割。

About six percent of the state's planted hectares would be abandoned, the latest USDA estimates⁸ suggest. But given the drought damage, Kansas State University wheat expert Romulo Lollato thinks the abandonment rate could be higher.

美国农业部的最新估算表明，该州大约6%的种植面积将被废弃。但鉴于干旱造成的破坏，堪萨斯州大学小麦专家罗慕洛·洛拉托认为放弃率可能更高。

In neighboring Colorado, abandonment could top 30 percent, Colorado Wheat Executive⁹ Director Brad Erker told tour participants.

在邻近的科罗拉多州，科罗拉多小麦公司执行董事布莱德·爱凯尔对来访者表示，放弃率可能高达30%，。

"Wheat yields¹¹ are affected¹² by weather in May, and we've had a really dry May," said Kansas farmer Vance Ehmke.

堪萨斯州农民万斯·埃姆克表示：“小麦产量受到5月天气的影响，我们经历了一个非常干燥的5月。”

Corn and soybeans

玉米和大豆

U.S. wheat production has been decreasing because farmers have been planting more corn and soybeans. These crops can produce more profit. Seed science also has increased yields by 30 percent or more since 2000.

美国小麦产量一直在下降，因为农民种植了更多的玉米和大豆。这些作物可以产生更多的利润。自2000年以来，种子科学也让产量增长了30%以上。

Wheat's yield¹⁰ has increased only six percent.

小麦的产量仅增加了6%。

As the planting period in the northern Plains narrows, North Dakota farmers are considering other plans. These include changing to soybeans, which can be planted later in the spring. Another possibility is to fill out documents for crop insurance claims to limit farm losses.

随着北部平原种植期的缩短，北达科他州的农民正在考虑其它计划。其中包括改种可以在春季晚些时候种植的大豆。另一种可能性是填写农作物保险索赔文件以限制农场损失。

"It's pretty tempting¹³ to file those claims," North Dakota farmer Dwight Grotberg said. "Once you get into June, you might be lucky to get half a crop. And with costs as high as they are, that's hard to stomach."

北达科他州农民德怀特·格罗特伯格表示：“提出索赔很有吸引力，一旦进入六月，他可能很幸运能收获一半。但种植成本如此之高，这让人很难忍受。”

1 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

2 invasion   

n.入侵，侵略，侵犯

参考例句：

• They are ready against the possible invasion.他们防备可能的入侵。
• It is our duty to shield our country from invasion.保卫祖国不受侵犯是我们的责任。

3 shipments   

船运，水运( shipment的名词复数 )； （从海路、陆路或空运的）一批货物

参考例句：

• The shipments are being expedited as much as possible. 装货速度在尽量加快。
• We received two shipments from Chicago. 我们收到从芝加哥运来的两船货物。

4 fertilizer   

n.肥料，化肥

参考例句：

• Fertilizer enriches the soil.肥料使土壤肥沃。
• Get some more fertilizer for the garden.给花园再多施些肥料。

5 drought   

n.旱灾，干旱，久旱

参考例句：

• The plants are growing in again,despite the drought.尽管干旱，植物又长出来了。
• The ground is as hard as stone after the drought.长期干旱后土地硬得就像石头一样。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

8 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

10 yield   

v.生产，出产；让步，屈服；n.产量，收获量

参考例句：

• A cow will yield several gallons of milk each day.一头母牛每天产几加仑的牛奶。
• We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。

11 yields   

n.产量( yield的名词复数 )；收益量；[财政学]投资实得率

参考例句：

• The yields on his shares have increased in this year. 今年他的股票红利增加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These high yields have been achieved largely through better methods of cultivation. 这样高的产量主要是通过改良耕作方法取得的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。