Iowa, the top corn-producing state in the nation, has faced a punishing drought this summer, all but eliminating any hope of a “bin buster” corn year, despite rain this past week.
North Dakota is also facing devastating drought conditions, says the AP, leading its biggest ranch and corn organizations to launch efforts to help ranchers and farmers. “Many North Dakota ranchers are selling off cattle they can’t afford to feed, while others are searching for affordable hay, with demand pushing prices to as much as double the normal cost,” the report says.
In Iowa, only 61 percent of the 2017 corn crop is rated good-to-excellent, according to the USDA weekly crop report as of Aug. 13. The remainder is rated between very poor and fair, Wallaces Farmer says. Rain in the past week helped alleviate dire conditions, but it came too late for many farmers, says Successful Farmer. At this point, the rains will primarily benefit soybean growers.
The Des Moines Register said “about half of Iowa — likely thousands of farmers, say experts — is caught in a deepening drought.” Conditions are driest in the state’s southeast and northwest.
One Iowa farmer estimated corn crop losses could reach $200 an acre, even after crop insurance kicks in, the Register said. The drought comes as Iowa and U.S. farmers struggle for a fourth year with declining income, the paper noted.