45 U.S. faces worst drought in half a century




The United States is suffering1 its worst2 drought3 in almost4 60 years. Moderate toextremely5 dry6 conditions spread7 to 55 percent of the country8 in June. That was the most9 since10 December of 1956.
The National Climatic Data Center11 also said12 high temperatures13 in June added tothe warmest14 12-month period on record15. Recordkeeping16 began17 in 1895. The drought map showed18 that conditions improved19 in the Southeast20 in June compared to May21.
But they intensified from the Midwest22 to the Great Plains23 and much of the West.Predictions24 through25 the end of October suggest26 that the drought is likely27 to improve in areas of the Southwest28 and Southeast.
But the drought is expected to continue or intensify29 in large parts of the country. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met with30 President Obama in July. Mr. Vilsack said the drought has severely affected31 corn32 and soybean33 crops34.
The United States is the world’s leading35 producer of corn and soybeans. Mr. Vilsack said: “Thirty-eight percent of our corn crop as of36 today is rated as37 poor to very poor, 30 percent of our soybeans, poor to very poor.” Most of the affected states are in thesouthern half38 of the country.
But officials said farmlands39 in the north are now drying up40 as well41. The drought haspushed up42 prices43 for corn and soybeans. Both44 are used in food production and for animal feed45. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported46 a 20 percent jump47 in maize48 and wheat49 prices in the month of July.
Wheat prices are up as50 hot, dry weather51 affects production in the Black Sea region. In the United States, ranchers52 may quickly reduce53 the size54 of their herds55 of animals rather than56 pay higher57 feed prices to feed them.
That increased58 supply of meat59 would reduce meat prices in the short-term60. President Obama has cut the interest rate61 on disaster62 loans63 for farmers andmade it easier64 for affected areas to receive65 government financial assistance.
At the same time66, farmers are waiting to see what Congress does with the farm bill67, a major68 piece of legislation renewed69 every five years. The Senate has passed a version that would end direct payments70 to farmers but help pay for crop insurance71. The plan would save72 money.
But the Senate version is different from legislation in the House of Representatives, and Congress needs to reach73 a compromise74. The current75 farm bill ends at the end of September. And that’s the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. I’m Carolyn Presutti.
Vocabulary
  1. Suffering = sofrendo
  2. Worst = o(a) pior
  3. Drought = seca
  4. Drought = quase
  5. Extremely = extremamente
  6. Dry = seco(a)
  7. Spread = espalhar-se
  8. Country = país
  9. the most = o máximo
  10. since = desde
  11. Climatic Data Center = Centro de Dados Climáticos
  12. also said = também disse
  13. high temperatures = altas temperaturas
  14. the warmest = o(a) mais quente
  15. on record = em registro
  16. Recordkeeping = manutenção de registros
  17. Began = começou
  18. Showed = mostrou
  19. Improved = melhorou
  20. Southeast = Sudeste
  21. May = Maio
  22. Midwest = Centro-oeste
  23. Plains = Planicies
  24. Predictions = previsões
  25. Through = através
  26. Suggest = sugerir
  27. Likely = provavel
  28. Southwest = Sudoeste
  29. Intensify = intensificar
  30. met with = encontrou-se com
  31. has severely affected = tem afetado severamente
  32. corn = milho
  33. soybean = soja
  34. crops = plantações
  35. the world’s leading = o lider mundial
  36. as of = a partir de
  37. rated as = classificada como
  38. southern half = metade sul (meridional)
  39. farmlands = terras de fazendas
  40. drying up = secando
  41. as well = também
  42. pushed up = empurrado para cima
  43. prices = preços
  44. Both = ambos
  45. Feed = alimentar
  46. Reported = relatou
  47. Jump = salto
  48. Maize = milho
  49. Wheat = trigo
  50. As = na medida em que
  51. Weather = clima
  52. Ranchers = fazendeiros
  53. may quickly reduce = podem rapidamente reduzir
  54. size = tamanho
  55. herds = rebanhos
  56. rather than = ao invés de
  57. higher = mais alto
  58. increased = aumentado
  59. supply of meat = suprimento de carne
  60. in the short-term = a curto prazo
  61. has cut the interest rate = tem cortado a taxa de juros
  62. disaster = desastre
  63. loans = empréstimos
  64. made it easier = tornou mais fácil
  65. receive = receber
  66. At the same time = ao mesmo tempo
  67. Bill = projeto de lei
  68. Major = importante
  69. Renewed = renovado(a)
  70. Payments = pagamentos
  71. Insurance = seguro
  72. Save = economizer
  73. Reach = alcançar, atingir
  74. Compromise = acordo
  75. Current = atual