French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire reporting that rain fall is only half what it was at the same time last year. French wheat harvests will be down by at least 11%, and exports will be cut in half.
Russia is banning fresh produce from Germany and Spain. At least 14 Germans died from e-coli. Initially the e-coli was traced to cucumbers, but is now showing up in other produce.
French environment minister, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, declared a “crisis situation” because of the ongoing drought. She explained that current water levels are the same as if it was July, instead of May.
She has ordered a third of all French administrative departments to cut back on water use. Two-thirds of the country’s groundwater reserves are reported to be below normal.
Tiny Switzerland is now dealing with a huge forest fire, no thanks to dry weather.
Switzerland has been dealing with a drought, now a fire that started near an auto repair shop has spread into the dry forest. About 300 firefighters are battling the blaze, people are being told to stay indoors.
It’s not only crops that are suffering in China, because of drought. Bee keepers say they’re losing their bees as well.
Honey production is down due to a decrease in flower pollen production, thanks to climate change. Bee keepers say it will also mean a decrease in bees, because pollen is their food.
China has the largest rapeseed field in the world. Rapeseed is used to make canola oil. Farmers there say drought keeps seed production too low for use in canola oil production. It also keeps rapeseed flower growth too low for the bees.