Drought plagues Vernon County

Wednesday, August 13, 2003

The corn is turning brown and the soybeans are stunted and refusing to bloom as Vernon County farmers cast their eyes to the sky and wonder if perhaps they are in the midst of a prolonged drought. This week Missouri governor Bob Holden asked the United States Department of Agriculture to consider drought assistance for 36 Missouri counties, including Vernon County, which also qualified last year. To get federal drought disaster relief a county has to have less than 40 percent of their average rainfall. For the months of July through December of 2002, precipitation falling in Vernon County measured about 27 percent of normal. The 2002 year total rainfall ended up being 31.91 inches of precipitation, well below the 44 inches that is average. To make matters worse, last year's drought followed 2001, which was a year of only average rainfall that followed another dry year. In 2000, Vernon County only received 27.65 inches of precipitation. This spring started out much more favorably. From March to June, Vernon County received 15.23 inches of rain, but July and August have had low precipitation combined with high temperatures. According to the University of Missouri Drought Information Web site, Vernon County is now 17 inches behind on precipitation for the past 12 months. Wayne Prewitt, West Central Region Farm Management Specialist for the University of Missouri, said that the corn and soybean crops are going to be the hardest hit. What happened is that the wet spring allowed the corn to reach its normal height, but when the plants started to form kernels, the precipitation dried up. Prewitt said that, come harvest, there is going to be a lot of corn that only yields 50-60 bushels an acre. "That just does not cover the bills," said Prewitt. Nevada farmer Jim Hardin said that the 90 to 100 degree days this summer hit the corn hard and hit it at the wrong time. He said that some of the corn planted early in the season is producing a "halfway decent" yield, but the projected good crop in northern corn country will lower prices. Traditionally the Corn Belt is further north, but due to more drought resistant strains it has been moving further south. In addition, Vernon County has a large market for corn from Murphy's Family Farm and this has contributed to this year's decision on the part of many area farmers to plant corn instead of milo. Prewitt noted that if there is a decent corn crop, then it is hard to get rid of milo. However, milo requires less precipitation to raise. The soybean crop is also suffering. Prewitt reports that much of the area soybean crop only half the height that it should be and some double cropped soybeans, planted in a harvested field of winter wheat, are no higher than the grain stubble. Hardin also laments the poor soybean prospects, saying that it has been three or four years since the last good soybean crop. Prewitt said that ideally both corn and soybeans require an average of a half inch of moisture a day to reach premium yields. In response to this year's dry conditions and low yields Prewitt said that he foresees an increase in milo and wheat planted next year. However, he also said he feels there is some potential for next year's corn -- depending on the weather and if the corn is planted early enough.

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