Lack of rain and scorching temperatures hit Texas’ agricultural crops and beef operations hard late spring and summer, leading to an estimated $1.4 billion in drought losses, Texas AgriLife Extension Service economists reported Monday.

Crop losses were estimated at $1.1 billion, while livestock losses tallied $260 million, which includes lost hay production, added supplemental feed costs and other production expenditures.

Weather-related devastation has hit Texas’ agricultural industry for three consecutive years. In 2007, record rainfall flooded crops in South Texas and led to $200 million in losses. Statewide drought in 2006 totaled $4.1 billion in losses – one of the worst since the 1950s. Corn, sorghum and cotton yields are expected to be less than half of the bumper crops last season.