Cattle farmers' 'easy year' could lead to trouble down the road — here's what experts are saying

An unusually dry winter may have made the past several months easy for Nebraska cattle farmers, but it's causing major concern for the future, both near- and long-term.

What's happening?

As of late January, Omaha — Nebraska's largest city — had seen only one inch of snowfall. That's the lowest such total in recorded history, according to WOWT News, and is a full foot less than what the area has typically received.

For the state's cattle farmers, that has meant a simpler workload — for now.

"It's actually been a tremendously easy year to winter cows," cattleman Craig Uden told Successful Farming magazine.

However, it has also put Nebraska into a perilously dry state. And with La Niña conditions occurring throughout the state, it's unclear if there will be much rainfall this spring.

A map from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that only tiny spots in far southeastern and southwestern Nebraska are free from any drought conditions. And the farther north you go, the worse it gets, with most of northwestern Nebraska experiencing "extreme" drought conditions.

Why are droughts concerning?

Extreme drought conditions in Nebraska have previously led to warm and dry rivers, which can kill thousands of fish. Trees can start to dry up and die, hay can become less abundant and more expensive, and groundwater use can increase.

Globally, the impact of droughts has been devastating. In Morocco, for example, satellite images show the city of Casablanca being almost unrecognizable due to its drying conditions.

These droughts are also another indication of a changing climate. As more polluting gases are emitted into the atmosphere, more heat gets trapped, causing the Earth to become warmer.

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And while droughts and other weather events have always occurred, they now happen more frequently than ever and are often more severe. Without action, this disturbing trend is likely to continue, with journalist and climate tech investor Molly Wood referring to rising global temperatures as "basically steroids for weather." 

What can I do about droughts?

There are many things individuals can do to combat drought conditions.

First and foremost is educating yourself about a warming climate and its impacts. From there, you can have conversations with friends and family to make sure they are aware of the problem and urge your elected representatives to vote for climate-friendly legislation.

You can also find simple ways to limit your personal water use. Among the many options are collecting and using rainwater, smartly watering your lawn and garden, and using a dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand.

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