Record spring rainfall has caused devastation for Ohio soybean and corn farmers. The vast reduction in planting time and flood waters in the southern region of the state will likely mean higher produce costs for consumers. The soggy spring and livestock manure run-off may cost Ohio farmers $1 billion and leave thousands of residents wanting for naturally grown produce.
According to statistics from the Ohio State University's Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics the low corn and soybeans yields are due to loss of growing time. Planting in Ohio after May 10 typically results in a decrease of 1 bushel per acre every day planting is delayed.
Farmers routinely finish planting by June 5 and tend to the fields the rest of the growing season. The old adage relating to corn being "knee-high by the Fourth of July" references standard healthy growing patterns. This year farmers may be hoping for just calf-high corn to take to market. Farmers with agricultural insurance policies allowing claims of "prevented planning" may fare a bit better financially than those who cannot afford or qualify for insurance policies.
Massive flooding not only prevented the spring planting season from getting started on time, but caused contamination of waterways. Livestock manure in a solid form is a superb natural fertilizer for farm purposes. Once flood waters ravaged the southern region of the state, the stock piles of livestock manure turned from solid to liquid and ran over fields and into ponds, lakes and sunk into well reserves.
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