(AP) -- Agriculture officials in Texas say preliminary numbers show that the worst drought in decades has brought $1.5 billion in losses and could easily surpass the single-year record.
Texas AgriLife Extension Service spokesman Blair Fannin said Wednesday the amount includes costs related to livestock and wheat, corn and sorghum crop losses from November through May 1.
If drought conditions persist into June, officials in the nation's second-largest agricultural producer say losses will easily top the 2006 record of $4.1 billion.
Livestock losses of $1.2 billion are from costs associated with trucking in water and for supplemental feed since November.
Some parts of the Texas have not seen any significant precipitation since August. Much of Texas is in the two worst stages of drought.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
