ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Wheat Crop Suffered Over Harsh Winter




Eric Richer, Fulton County agriculture extension agent, said this year’s wheat crop suffered higher than usual winter kill, and more acres will be destroyed rather than harvested.

“I think the wheat in the county is quite variable. There are pockets where the wheat is good, and pockets where it’s really, really poor,” he said.

“I think every field has some spots of winter kill. They’re small in the better fields, but almost every wheat field has had some bad spots.

“A higher percentage (of wheat) will be ripped up… definitely higher than normal.”

A big problem for the wheat crop came Jan. 9-10- 11, when rain and relatively warm temperatures thawed snow cover and caused water to collect in low parts of fields. The standing water then froze, suffocating the wheat plants.

The Archbold Wastewater Treatment plant recorded temperatures as high as 47 degrees between Jan. 10 and 13. Low temperatures ranged from 32 to 27 degrees.

There was an inch of snow recorded on Jan. 9, followed by three-quarters (.75) of an inch of rain on Jan. 10-11.

Report

In a press release, the county office of the Fulton and Western Lucas Area Farm Service Agency, or FSA, encourages farmers to report their failed crop acreage that will not be brought to harvest to their FSA office.

Failed acreage must be reported to FSA before destroying and replanting to allow time for a possible field check.

“It is very important that farmers report failed acreage that will not be brought to harvest to the FSA office prior to destruction,” said John Gaynor, FSA county executive director.

“This simple act of insuring that failed acres are documented could be the determining factor in whether or not a farmer is eligible for future crop disaster program benefits,” Gaynor said.

Wheat

It has been said a Fulton County farmer only plants wheat if he needs the straw for animal bedding; otherwise, it isn’t worth the effort.

But Richer said as wheat prices approach $7 per bushel, it becomes more appealing as a cash crop.

The cash price at area grain elevators for wheat delivered Tuesday, April 29, was $6.80 to $6.81 per bushel. Richer said in 2011-12, wheat was going for more than $8 per bushel.

Wheat has several things going for it, he said.

It can be included in a corn-soybean rotation program to break up disease and insect pressures.

Since wheat is harvested in July, it can give a farmer some summer cash flow.

It provides straw for livestock.

And, if a farmer wants to install drainage tile in a field over the summer months, the work can be done after wheat is harvested, so there is no damage to a standing crop.

Planting

Right now, Richer said farmers are being “cautiously patient” before they start planting corn and soybeans.

“We’re waiting for the soil temperature to warm up. We’re in the mid-40s; we’d like to have it at 50 or 55 degrees,” he said.

Some corn has been planted, but most farmers are waiting, or spending their time going over their equipment to make sure it’s ready.

“There are a lot of planters in the barn or in the shop,” he said.

Last year, Richer said 45% of the acreage in the county was planted in five days.

“That’s more acres planted in one week than ever before,” he said.



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