DROUGHT IN THE UNITED STATES: A SHORT HISTORY

The major U.S. grain producing areas are subject to recurring droughts. However, grain production is widely dispersed and never are all areas stricken by drought in the same year. Droughts cause economic hardships for the producers but do not reduce supplies enough to cause consumer shortages in the United States. Misuse of the land and the lack of appropriate cultural practices contributed to the severity of droughts and the resulting human misery until the last 50 years. Research, education, and government financial assistance did much to restore the land and mitigate the impact of droughts after 1936. Production shortfalls led to reduced exports rather than reduced domestic consumption or inflation