Area Crops At Least A Month Behind

“I would say that we are easily a month behind at where Clark County’s crops should be at!” stated Bill Bonine, Loan Officer with the Farm Service Agency located in Kahoka. Bonine continued, “To begin with Clark County had around 10,000 acres affected by the flooding. I would estimate that 30-40 % of that was unable to be put in to any kind of crop, simply because it got too late or fields were damaged by levee breaks and erosion. But, we had beans go in as late as the 1st of August. I would guess that the break off point between paying expenses and going in the hole is at 20 bushel an acre and most should all make that unless we have an early frost. But to put things in perspective of where we are at compared to last year during the week of August 17.

Beans “blooming”, this year we are at 69% and this time last year we were at 99 %. Right now we have 25% of our beans setting on pods compared to last year when the number was 74%.

Corn: Last year 90% of our corn was in the “Dough and Beyond “stage compared to this year’s with 41%. As far as dented corn, last year the number was 44% to this year’s 89%.
Things change from year to year and this was the year for hill ground as crops look very good. It was also a very good year for wheat with yields as high 70 – 80 bushels per acre, with averages running around 60. It has also been a very good year for the hay crop as well, which also goes back to our rainfall that we received. Last year 61% of our alfalfa fields had their 3rd cutting compared to 17% this year. Hay tonnage is up and quality as well.

Of course the downside is for livestock producers who are paying a lot more for their feed.

Overall, the way the crops look right now, the county should see 150-200 bushel per acre corn and beans in the 40’s.”

Bonine also added that the Farm Service Agency provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, and other natural disasters.