Due to plentiful rains beginning in November 2011 and continuing through spring, the local agricultural industry is beginning to bounce back from a devastating 2011.

As of late-May, Harris County is at 300 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which is used to determine forest fire potential where a drought index of 0 represents no moisture depletion, and an index of 800 represents absolutely dry conditions. Montgomery County is at 442. At this time last year, Harris County was at 641, while Montgomery County was at 659.

"We are in 100 percent better shape than we were last year, but on the same note, everyone's still skeptical because they know what can happen," said Lawrence Hegar, owner of Hegar Hay, a 600-acre hay farm in Hockley.

After seeing a 90 percent reduction in their hay crop last year, Hegar did his first good, clean cutting of hay in May, he said. Although forced to raise prices last year because he had to get his hay out of state, he said he expects prices industry-wide to drop once the second cutting is done.

"It's going to take everyone getting through a second cut of hay for people to feel comfortable with hay supplies," he said.

The price of cattle has also increased because of the drought with an average per-head price of $1,600, a $400 increase from two years ago, said Gary Underwood, director of agricultural appraisal for Harris County.

"Many producers sold off their cattle last year because they couldn't afford to keep them, so we had less calves and that drove the price up," Underwood said.

The increase in cattle prices has in turn driven up meat prices, which has lessened demand statewide.

"A lot of times consumers cut back when prices go up, but any cutback [statewide] is being replaced by a big demand through exports," he said.

The largest export market for the Texas meat industry is Mexico, followed by Canada, Underwood said.

Because Gov. Perry made a proclamation declaring Texas a disaster due to the drought, agricultural producers who sold off their cattle were able to hold on to their agricultural exemption. Now the question will be whether they decide to buy back in, according to Underwood.

"They're going to have to make a decision—'Do I get back into the business or do I do something else?'" he said. "We may see some of the land used to produce hay to cut and sell off, or people may lease [their land] out."

There are 1,105 total producers in the Tomball ISD area that qualify for agricultural exemption and 380 in the Magnolia ISD area. Tomball farmer Marvin Weinburg, who owns 40 head of cattle, was able to make it through the worst of the drought and hold on to his cows.

"Thankfully the winter was mild and we got adequate rain, so we had enough hay to feed the cows and were even able to bale a little bit of it last week," he said.

Weinburg is primarily in the vegetable business and said he has a good crop of corn coming in because he started the year with moisture in the ground from winter rains.

"Guarded optimism is the best word I can use," he said. "It does look better. If we can get to where we don't go a month without rain, we should be okay. Otherwise, we'd back in the same situation."