Things are looking rough in Alabama:

Prolonged dry conditions have stunted the growth of hay and pastures, forcing Alabama cattlemen to sell off their herds because they can’t afford the cost of feed.

Wayne Davis of Elmore County is slowly selling off his 150 head of purebred Charolais — a few already, more soon.

“I can’t feed the cattle year-round on high-priced hay,” said Davis, whose farm is outside Wetumpka. “It’s not economically feasible.”

Worth noting here: economic dislocation. Davis isn’t going to starve. But this is real: parts of Alabama have been dry for four years. And over the last six months, parts of Alabama and Tennessee are by far the driest – measured relative to their norms – in the U.S.