Growers also have irrigation systems in their fields, so they do not rely entirely on Mother Nature. Harder hit has been this area's cattle ranchers. Polk County had 90,800 head of beef cows and calves in January 1999, according to state agricultural records. That ranked Polk County fifth among Florida's 67 counties. Ranchers in Florida generally raise calves until they are 7 to 9 months old, then sell them to feed lots in the Midwest.
Local ranchers are paid by the pound, so the more a calf weighs, the more money it fetches.
During this drought, the dry land cannot support grass, so calves are lighter than normal and bringing in less money. The drought also is drying up natural sources of drinking water. So ranchers are having to pay extra for hay and water, cutting into their profits. Jim Handley, executive vice president of the Florida Cattlemen's Association, said some ranchers are selling off their cattle to reduce their stocks during the drought. Handley said any assistance from the federal government would be welcome.