France faces drought, locusts
Jul. 17, 2005 at 9:41PM

On top of a severe drought, France is fighting a plague of hundreds of thousands of locusts. The locusts are devouring everything from crops to window-box flowers, reported the Observer. "At the beginning they seem small, insignificant insects but they grow very quickly," said Aveyron region farmer Gerard Laussel. "They eat everything that is green, leaving only stalks, and when they have finished they leave some kind of scent so the cattle do not want to graze on what is left."

The French environment ministry said drought could be felt across most of France, but it mostly impacted from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris. "There is nothing we can do for the 700 or 800 farmers affected," said Patrice Lemoux, an agriculture official. "The locust has no known predator and the only insecticides which might make a difference are banned."
http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20050717-092844-7410r.htm


Drought tightens its deadly grip in Europe
By David Evans Mon Jul 18, 7:43 AM ET

PARIS (Reuters) - Drought in Europe tightened its deadly grip on Monday as a forest blaze that killed 11 firefighters raged in Spain, and with weekend temperatures soaring in France, authorities scrambled to protect the elderly.
Spain and Portugal are suffering their worst droughts since records began in the 1940s, and in western France, water levels are at their lowest since the major drought of 1976.
Parched conditions now stretch from north Africa to the French capital, causing billions of euros worth of damage as crops shrivel, rivers dry up and pastures turn to dust.

Story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050718/sc_nm/food_drought_europe_dc_1