The past month has seen significant additions to snowpack levels across several Western mountain ranges, adding to potential future water supplies for the region. (Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey)

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, looks at some of the Western Mountain ranges outside the Sierra-Nevada and Great Basin and how they are faring in snowpack accumulations.

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, says the Southern Rockies currently have subpar mountain snowpack levels, raising concerns about water supplies this year in the region.

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, looks at states with notable topsoil moisture conditions ratings for the month of December.

Several factors are making it very difficult for analysts to project the size of Argentina's corn and soybean crops. (Gary Crawford and USDA Chief Meteorologist Mark Brusberg)

USDA Chief Meteorologist Mark Brusberg with a general description of the drought in Argentina.

South American farmers may be hoping that the current La Nina weather pattern gives way next year to an El Nino pattern. (Gary Crawford and USDA Chief Meteorologist Mark Brusberg)

Winter wheat condition, and pasture and rangeland conditions, in the Southern Plains are among the top stories in USDA's first look at agriculture on a state level for this winter. (Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey)

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, explains how State Stories - released monthly during the winter - came to be created.

USDA says farmer response is critical to putting together the current Census of Agriculture. (Gary Crawford. Hubert Hamer, Administrator of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Barbara Rater, Director of the Census of Agriculture)