Fierce Drought Hurts Farmers in the Southwest - WSJ.com

Fierce Drought Hurts Farmers in the Southwest - WSJ.com: "DALLAS—A scorching drought in much of the Southwest is hurting farmers across several states and potentially crimping supplies of crops and cattle.

Jim Freudenberger surveyed his wheat crop in Coyle, Okla., last month. A severe drought in Southwest has hurt thousands of farmers and ranchers.

In Texas, where the past six months has been the driest such period on record since 1967, more than half of the state is parched by extreme drought, according to the Drought Monitor, a compendium of government and academic estimates.

New Mexico, too, is drying out, with almost 75% of the state in a severe drought, the monitor shows. In Oklahoma, the period between January and March was the driest since 1921, including the 1930s Dust Bowl years, said the state's associate climatologist, Greg McManus."