Rains bring relief

Last week's rains brought much needed relief to Central Texas farmers and firefighters, but drought-related losses could continue to mount if more precipitation doesn't fall in upcoming weeks.

Rainfall amounts in Limestone County ranged from about 2 inches north of Bremond to 4.5 inches just north of Mexia, according to meteorologist Dan Huckaby of the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Groesbeck received about 4 inches, he said.

According to reports from Texas AgriLife Extension Service economists, the ongoing drought has cost Texas farmers and ranchers nearly $1 billion, and the rain was too little, too late, for some livestock producers who have lost $569 million since November.

Economists say the drought has cost the state $829 million to date, and losses likely will surpass the $1 billion mark in the next 60 days as ranchers continue to buy supplemental feed or sell cattle in a declining market, according to Dr. David Anderson, a livestock marketing economist for Texas AgriLife.

Anderson said Texas is the largest beef cow producing state in the United States with more than 5 million head. More than 60 percent of those cattle are in counties categorized as being in severe to exceptional drought.

"The effects of drought on livestock go well beyond the immediate year," he said. "Drought results in reduced conception rates and calf crops the next year. The lack of forage results in lower cattle sale weights, and pasture recovery can take multiple years and can result in reduced stocking rates while ranges recover."

Although last week's rain wasn't the drought-buster the ag community has been hoping for, local ranchers said the rainfall brought immediate relief and eased concerns.

"The rain definitely helped," said J.D. Laird, a Beefmaster producer who along with his wife, Dixie, operates Four Forks Farms on FM 147 near Groesbeck.

"Concern was an understatement," he said. "We were about to start selling cattle, and the prices aren't good. Now we should be OK until mid April."

Laird said his cattle usually graze ryegrass in the late winter and early spring, but so far this year that hasn't happened.

"Our ryegrass has sprouted three times then dried up," he said. "This rain has saved it."

Laird also said the rains added six to eight inches of water to his stock tanks.

"The tanks were extremely low," he said. "We were getting panicky, but this drenching rain has been outstanding."

But, Laird warned, if more rain doesn't fall in the next three or four weeks, drought troubles could return.

"Right now we're happy," he said. "But that could change if it gets dry again."

Limestone County AgriLife Agent Chelsea Farris said last week's rainfall also will help row croppers in Central Texas.

"We're going into planting season and the rain will give farmers a substantial boost," she said. "If we had received just a little moisture, crops would have sprouted, then died off. Now we should have enough moisture in the soil to get crops off to a good start."

E.E. Lightsey Jr. said the rain also will boost plant growth at his family's Point Enterprise orchard.

"This is sure going to help," he said. "We already have potatoes, onions, beans and okra in the ground, peach trees are blooming and plum trees just finished. We got this rain at the right time, and our plants are going to benefit."

Lightsey said the rain actually delayed planting of tomatoes, peppers, watermelon and cantaloupe, but he isn't complaining.

"We'll wait a couple days for the ground to dry," he said, "then we'll get them planted."

In addition to giving the ag community a boost, last week's rains also was a relief to firefighters.

"Things should green up across Central and East Texas," said Troy Case, district fire coordinator for the Texas Forest Service in Palestine. "This will help prevent wildfires for four to six weeks. But if it gets dry and windy, wildfire dangers will return."

The rain prompted Limestone County Judge Daniel Burkeen to lift a burn ban that has been in effect for months.

n Blair Fannin of Texas AgNews Service contributed to this story.