Some areas of the U.S. have certainly been hit hard by record rains, and some of your growers could get soaked at harvest.
Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, and now Ike have spread major amounts of moisture across many areas of the country, according to reports. While there are areas where some rain was a welcome relief for parched crops, for others, it was too much, too late.
That’s what one Ashkum, IL, grower told the Associated Press (AP) about his soybean and corn. Jared Finegan says the weekend’s record rainfall from Hurricane Ike and the ensuing flooding in northern and central Illinois could have caused crop damage. The flooding may mean it could be two weeks until he’s able to get into his fields.
"And by then it could be too late," Finegan told AP. "I think our (soybeans) will be ready before we can get into the fields."
University of Illinois agricultural economist Stu Ellis told AP the heavy rains could provide the right environment for fungus to sprout and spread in soybean fields. He also noted that the rains will especially be problematic for what he called "droughty" corn, which could also be susceptible to fungus.
"I think corn, especially corn with weaker stalks, could see some lower yields," Ellis said.
According to Planalytics, a business weather intelligence company, fields in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas were already saturated from Hurricanes Fay and Gustav — before Hurricane Ike made U.S. landfall in Galveston, TX. “More rain will further delay harvesting of cotton, corn, and soybeans, which are already one to two weeks later than normal,” a company press release states. “On a more positive note, however, the increased soil moisture reserves in Oklahoma and Kansas will benefit the upcoming winter wheat crop.”
According to the Ottawa Citizen, the remnants of Ike have caused heavy rains up into Canada.
Officials have barely begun to assess the overall damage in Texas, which early estimates put in the billions of dollars.
