US: Drought Causes Smallest Cotton Harvest in 13 Years
The Facts
US cotton yield in 2022 is estimated to be the smallest since 2009, according to a monthly crop production report from the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA).
The assessment, published Fri., cut the nation's predicted cotton crop output by 19% (almost 3M bales). It also predicted that the domestic carryout would fall to 1.8M bales, with the greatest harvest fall forecast for Texas - 2.9M bales overall this year, compared to 7.7M in 2021.
The Spin
Narrative A
The US is one of many nations that are struggling with the effects of a long-lasting dry spell. Drought frequency and duration have risen by almost a third globally since 2000, and unless something is done, the climate crisis that's causing water stress across the world could affect more than 75% of humanity by 2050.
Narrative B
It's easy to dismiss extreme weather events as a consequence of climate change, but in reality weather events are usually influenced by a myriad of factors that have nothing to do with it. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the current situation and climate change.