VOA标准英语2012--Record Drought Punishes Arkansas Agriculture

 

Record Drought Punishes Arkansas Agriculture

Arkansas still looks very green. But the grass is short and there is not much good for animal feed.

Even as temperatures soar over 40 degrees Celsius¹, big white clouds float in the sky.

Occasionally they produce a downpour.

A burst of rain is very welcome here, but experts say it is not enough.

Meteorologists say more than 38 centimeters of slow, steady rain would be needed in some areas to bring them up to normal.

Lack of grass has forced cattle producers like Karen Haralson to spend more on expensive feed, and she says a recent rain has not helped. "It put just a little bit of green in the grass, but all it gave it was color, it didn't give it any growth," she said.

She has had to reduce her herd² from more than 250 to around 150, leaving her with too few cattle to operate effectively in the year to come. "To run the farm, I am going to have to have more cows than I have, so when I go to replace them there will be limited replacement³, so the price will be much higher. So it is kind of a vicious circle," she said. 

In nearby Atkins, farmers gather in the Atkins International Cafe at lunchtime and reveal their woes⁴ to waitress Cindy Johnson. "The early crops that went in, they spent on the fertilizer and all, the yields were low. There is no moisture to put anything back in on the second round, everything is just dry and drought," she said. 

In Faulkner County, Extension agent Hank Chaney says yields on most row crops, like soy beans, rice and corn, are going to be well below 50 percent this year unless rain comes soon. "We need at least three or four days of good, slow, steady rainfall. It would be nice, of course, if we could get a week of it, but at least that to help us soak up and for the ground to recharge," he said. 

Chaney says around 30 percent of the farmers in his area have an edge on Mother Nature because they have ground water they can tap for irrigation.

These center-pit irrigation systems are expensive to buy and operate.

But Chris Schaefers, whose family owns eight of them, says they get their money back in better yields and better credit at the bank. "It sure does make them feel better, when you go to your lending officer to know that you have irrigation behind you, especially in years like this," he said. 

The Schaefers will benefit from the high commodity prices that are bound to result from this year's dry conditions.

For farmers who can count on their own irrigation system, it will be a little easier to get through this drought, but everyone else is going to have to rely on Mother Nature. 

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

3 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

4 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。