Mexico’s drought turns farms to dust
The unprecedented drought that has parched northern Mexico — and stretched into Arizona, New Mexico and Texas — has been as good for these scavengers as it has been calamitous for the region’s ranchers and farmers.
Mexico’s drought turns farms to dust
Simeon Tegel
Global Post
July 17, 2012
CHIHUAHUA, Mexico — Clouds of dust swirl around the desiccated cattle carcasses scattered across the sun-scorched field.
The buzzards have gorged on the corpses, picking out the eyes and ripping their way into the remains through the empty stomachs. Nothing but skin and bone is left.
The unprecedented drought that has parched northern Mexico — and stretched into Arizona, New Mexico and Texas — has been as good for these scavengers as it has been calamitous for the region’s ranchers and farmers.
Over the last 12 months, 350,000 head of cattle have starved to death here in Chihuahua, Mexico’s largest state, according to El Barzon, a national association that represents the owners of small and medium-sized farms.
Without rain, there is no pasture.
