Drought loosens grip on Texas agriculture [Video]

ADAM RUSSELLTexas A&M AgriLife

Drought continues to linger in patches of the state, but Texas agricultural producers face much better cropping outlooks going into spring, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

AgriLife Extension agronomists Jourdan Bell, Amarillo; Reagan Noland, San Angelo; and Ronnie Schnell, Bryan-College Station, agreed that soil moisture conditions have improved compared to last year. However, they are still concerned that cropping conditions could decline without additional timely moisture, especially in drier areas.

Around 97% of the state was experiencing some level of drought on Sept. 26, 2023, with around two-thirds of Texas mired in severe to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. As of Jan. 16, that figure had dropped to 58% of the state experiencing levels of drought with about 13% experiencing severe to extreme drought and zero areas reporting exceptional drought.

Exceptional drought is indicative of significant widespread crop and pasture losses and emergency-level water …