It's a bit too wet for area farmers

Jun 3, 2009      The Decatur Daily

Nancy Glasscock

Jun. 3, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Farmers hoped for rain during a historic drought in 2008. Now, farmers say too much rain kept fields water-logged for a month, stunted crop growth and forced them to replant fields.

Mark Hamilton of Hamilton Farms in Hillsboro said it's been an unusual year that ranged from too dry to too wet. Hamilton, who grows mostly corn, cotton and wheat, replanted 700 to 800 acres because of the rain.

Rain damaged some crops' root systems by leaving roots only at the top of the ground, which prevents them from absorbing water properly. The roots of crops in low-lying areas are especially damaged, he said.

Brian Glenn, a corn, wheat and soybean producer in Hillsboro, said he planted soybeans twice because of the rain, and corn is stunted.

Still chance for good yield

Glenn and Hamilton said that although crops are off to a slow start, they have a chance of producing a good yield.

According to the National Weather Service, 11.53 inches of rain fell in May at Pryor Field near Decatur. In May 2008, 4.58 inches fell.

Mark Yeager, owner of Yeager Gin Co. in Moulton, said he planted all corn this year, and rain caused multiple problems in low areas of nearly every field. Stunted corn turned yellow in areas where water stood, he said.

"I think that the corn on well-drained land has a decent chance of making good if we continue to get rain, but the low-lying areas that we're replanting now --historically planting this late -- takes a pretty good hit in the yield," he said.

Yeager said that while rain caused problems for farmers, crops could be weeks away from a drought.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's crop moisture index, North and Central Alabama are "slightly dry" to "favorably moist." Most South Alabama counties are "wet" to excessively moist."

Charles Burmester, agronomist with the Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center in Belle Mina, said cold temperatures and rain would cause farmers to replant entire fields or portions of fields.

A cold snap meteorologists called highly unusual in April brought below-freezing temperatures.

Farmers started planting more corn in recent years because of the high cost of producing cotton.

Newstex ID: 35477961

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