Regarding 1974, government economist Don Paarlberg stated: “Nineteen-seventy-four was the year the weatherman pulled all the wrong levers.” The United States was hit with some of the worst weather in modern times. First there were disastrous floods in the spring. Then in summer came the worst drought in decades. Finally, in September, frosts came too early. One result was that the hoped-for corn crop of 6.7 billion bushels dwindled to some 2 billion bushels less!

For example, in the past, crop losses due to droughts in lands such as India were, to a degree, made up by purchases or gifts from food surpluses in the United States. One reason for such surpluses was that, until a few years ago, weather conditions were very favorable there. But now government weather scientist James McQuigg says: “The probability of getting another 15 consecutive years that good is about one in 10,000.”