As April ended, more than 61% of U.S. drought of the contiguous United States was in moderate to exceptional drought, a level the U.S. Drought Monitor says is the highest recorded for this time of year since it began tracking conditions. For producers, drought is not just weather — it can build slowly or arrive as a flash that disrupts planting and yields. Farmers across the South and West are watching soil moisture and short-term forecasts for a planting window.
Regional scope
The Southeast is especially hard hit, with roughly 97% Southeast drought of the region classified in drought categories, and about two-thirds of the Western U.S. also affected. Timing matters: a delayed or flash drought can erase moisture needed for germination and early crop growth. That variability is changing field-by-field decisions this spring.
David Kohlleppel, who farms near LaCoste, Texas, said his mix of sand, black dirt and river sand makes water management critical. On sandy ground, a two-tenths inch rainfall can run off and do little for seed, while black dirt soaks and sustains seedlings. "I tend to appreciate the black dirt more than the sandy soil because even a little bit of rain is helpful," he told Farm Press.
Soil and moisture differences
Kohlleppel added that sandy fields are also prone to wind erosion when dry, which damages crops and reduces productivity, and that every drop of water has become precious after several difficult seasons. "My livelihood is completely dependent on it. No water, no crops, no income," he said. Producers are making choices now about where to plant and when to risk seeding marginal ground.
Johnny Cochran, a grower in southern Georgia, said prolonged dry conditions left him holding off on planting cotton and peanuts as late April approached; he was watching for sustained rain and still had a narrow planting window. Local records show the past eight months were the driest on record for his county, making recovery from short showers unlikely — County's driest eight months. Cochran called water "a God-given commodity" and said a single 1-inch shower would not restore normal planting conditions.
Sandy soils common in Cochran’s area are vulnerable to rapid moisture loss, so farmers there weigh the risk of planting into diminishing soil moisture against the limited season. Where irrigation is available, growers adjust schedules; where it is not, many delay planting or shift acreage to more drought-tolerant options. Decisions in the coming weeks will determine emergence rates and in-season management needs.
Farmers' perspective
Producers describe themselves as buffers in wet years and carriers of drought’s burdens in dry years, balancing short-term weather with long-term soil health and market obligations. Farm Press will publish additional reporting on water, irrigation and drought impacts throughout May. Farm Press Senior Editor Shelley E. Huguley contributed to this story.
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