Friday, July 20 2012 2:42 PM EDT2012-07-20 18:42:00 GMT
As federal weather forecasters predict drought conditions will stay on through fall, farmers warn that no rain means no feed and that means higher prices in the grocery aisles.More >>
As federal weather forecasters predict drought conditions will stay on through fall, farmers warn that no rain means no feed and that means higher prices in the grocery aisles.More >>
Drought conditions for the state of South Carolina. Data is updated each Thursday of the month.More >>
Drought conditions for the state of South Carolina. Data is updated each Thursday of the month.More >>
From ABC News
Rainfall has been sparse in parts of Virginia for the past few years. Meteorologists say the state is unusually dry -- a big problem for farmers.
Dairy farmers in the state are having an especially hard time.
Before dairy cows can make milk, they must have a lot of water. Researchers like Katherine Knowlton of Virginia Tech University say water is like gold for cattle.
"When it gets this hot and this dry, milk production drops," Knowlton said. "These cows are under some stress, and they just can't produce as much milk."
"The cows are producing less milk and in the grocery store, that could increase the price of milk."
Since nearly 90 percent of milk is water, a lack of rain also means high levels of minerals don't get washed out. Dairy experts say those minerals remain in the short supply of water that dairy cattle drink.
For that reason, student researchers check mineral levels several times a day.
