Episode Details

2022 Wheat Harvest: A Perfect Storm of Drought, Disease, and Climate Change

The 2022 wheat harvest is projected to be the smallest in nearly five decades, with a 21% drop from last year and a predicted 1.56 billion bushels. Kansas, a major wheat-producing state, is particularly hard hit, with nearly 60% of the crop rated poor or very poor. Factors contributing to this crisis include record drought, hotter temperatures, and viruses like wheat streak mosaic and barley yellow dwarf. High input costs, such as fertilizer and diesel fuel, further exacerbate the situation. Farmers like Orville Williams are facing significant losses, with expected yields dropping from around 100 bushels per acre last year to possibly 30-40 this year. Climate change is identified as a major driver, with more extreme weather events becoming the norm. The U.S. is also losing ground in the global market to countries like Russia and the European Union. With high input costs and unpredictable weather, many farmers are focusing on cutting back to the bare necessities, hoping for relief but facing a challenging outlook.

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