By Sara Amato, Times-Mail
samato@tmnews.com
Farmers in Indiana could possibly face fewer corn crops in the fall because of the heavy spring rains.
"I don't see this ground drying up much before June 1," said Jim Hudelson, director of the US Consolidated Farm Service Agency in Bedford.
Usually by this time of the year, farmers are 100 percent planted, but Hudelson said if he had to guess, only 35 to 40 percent are actually planted.
So far this year, the Bedford and Bloomington area has received about 30 inches of rain - an increase from 24.6 inches last year, according to the National Weather Service.
Hudelson said because farmers have to wait to plant their crops, it's going to reduce the yield in corn during harvest time.
Charlie Bob Parks, a farmer in southern Lawrence and northern Orange counties, said he's only planted about 50 percent of his corn and 30 percent of his beans. He said farmers should be done planting by now, but he'll still be planting in early June.
Parks expects only a 70 percent yield from his crops.
Dave Redman, Lawrence County extension director of agriculture and natural resources, said there could be a five to six percent decrease in crops in the fall.
"We're late into the season," Redman said, "but we're not at a point of no return."
Redman said in Lawrence County each acre of land yields on average 145 to 150 bushels of corn - yielding more than 2 million bushels in total.
Hudelson said if the weather cooperates, farmers can get back into the fields in four to five days, but the crop planting won't be finished until the middle of June.
But Redman said some Indiana farmers have made the decision to stop planting corn crops, yielding much less than expected and causing an increase the price in corn.
Parks said with fertilizer prices so high, it costs a lot to plant corn - about $400 to $500. He explained that with wetter conditions and it being so late into the season, it'll cost more money to take care of it.
Another problem farmers can face, Redman said, is the possibility of the weather getting too hot, which might stunt crop pollination.
But that doesn't worry Parks.
"I've been at it for a long time," he said.