Cooler temps have hurt crops; rain has helped some, hurt others

Recent cooler temperatures and increased moisture have benefited a few local farmers, but presents a delay that could be costly for others.

According to Farm Service Agent Bob Nagel, the increased rainfall has delayed some farmers from planting dry-land corn, though most irrigated corn is already in the ground.

“With a crop insurance final plant date of May 25, they will be hard-pressed to plant by then,” Nagel said last week. “Most corn producers would have their crop in by now. They will have to plant their corn late.”

Additionally, much of the corn that was planted already may be adversely affected by below-normal temperatures.

Local corn producer Michael Reuter said that from a dry-land corn perspective the rain is beneficial, but the temperature has set back both dry-land and irrigated corn.

“What we need is more heat units,” Reuter said. “I’ve had corn in the ground since May 1 that has not poked through yet.”

Reuter added that another frost would further damage his crop.

“This year we are off to a late start,” Reuter said. “As for sugar beets, we have had to replant because they froze.”

He stated that nearly 35 percent of his beet crop was damaged by frost and were not growing the way they are expected to.

“This is the lousiest May I can remember,” Reuter said. “I just wish we could come up with more heat.”

The low temperatures have frozen sugar beet acreage and the rains have kept the producers out of the fields.

Although frost will damage wheat production, the increased rainfall is a positive for the crop.

“It is still fairly early and we won’t know the extent of how bad the frost affected the wheat for some time,” Nagel said. “Though we have had plenty of moisture, that is not an issue right now.”

Kimball County Extension Agent Aaron Berger agreed that from a rangeland standpoint, the moisture is very positive.

“The cold and snow may have had an impact on the wheat but it will be awhile before we know the impact, we will know more in the next couple of weeks,” Berger said. “People are still trying to get some crops planted so we really need some sunshine to get those started.”