Source: MORNING AG CLIPS, 2/20/18

Some 800 million people around the world depend on livestock that graze on natural vegetation for their livelihoods and food security. In a good season, grasses and other plants flourish, supporting robust herds. In a bad season, the system suffers – as do the people who rely on it. The difference between a good and bad year? One significant and increasingly volatile factor is precipitation.A new study in Nature Climate Change reveals that over the past century year-to-year precipitation variability has increased significantly on 49 percent of the world’s grazing lands, affecting vegetation and constraining its ability to support livestock.

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