Agroinsurance

France - Apricot production in Rhône-Alpes partly destroyed by violent storm

A hailstorm of rare violence hit the Rhône-Alpes Region on Saturday June 15 in the early afternoon. Coming from Ardèche, it crossed the Rhône Valley and the North of the Drôme from West to East, to go up through the Isère Valley. Very large hail caused impressive damage to orchards, destroying the entire production and sometimes the orchards in their path, a strip 15 to 25 kilometres wide. Many municipalities are affected: La Roche de Glun, Saint Donat, Châteauneuf sur Isère, Brun, Granges les Beaumont. Out of the 16 companies in our collective were affected, losses are estimated at 13,000 tonnes of apricots and 3,000 tonnes of peaches. In apricots, in this area considered one of the most important in France, the destroyed potential is therefore nearly 25%. These losses represent 16% of the national potential of the AOP. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

UK - 72 pigs confirmed dead in crash

Avon and Somerset police have confirmed that 72 out of 190 pigs died after a livestock lorry overturned at around 12.30am on Wednesday morning (June 19). "The lorry driver was injured and 190 pigs were trapped in the vehicle. A vet came to the scene as soon as possible. They were consulted to ensure the animals' welfare at all times. The lorry driver was freed from the cab and taken to hospital at about 1am with injuries which are not believed life-threatening or life-changing," said the statement from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary. "The M4 road was closed with a rolling roadblock while the lorry was righted, using specialist lifting equipment, at 4am. The damaged vehicle was then moved off the motorway so that the livestock could be safely released, treated and transferred to another transporter. Source - https://www.plantbasednews.org

Thailand - Outbreak of 'Panama disease' reported

The Department of Agriculture has dispatched officials to inspect a large banana plantation in Chiang Rai province after a report of an outbreak of Panama disease. This disease is known to simply rip through plantations, causing significant damage. A well-placed source who insisted on anonymity told that officials are destroying infected banana trees in a bid to contain the disease. The plantation is located in the Phaya Mengrai district. "We cannot confirm whether it is Panama disease, but it has never occurred in Thailand before," the source said. "One thing that is clear is that the company illegally imported cuttings to be planted in this country," she said, adding that the disease right now is limited to that plantation only. The department has just taken samples from the infected trees for testing and the analysis will be completed within a week. "If it is Panama disease as feared, the department will announce the area as an outbreak control zone and all plant movement and transportation must be stopped," said the same source. The source reiterated that only one plantation was involved and that the disease could only have come from infected cuttings imported from overseas, not from excessive chemical use. The latest moves come after earlier, less specific and unconfirmed reports emerged of serious banana diseases on other mega banana plantations in the province. The Phaya Mengrai district plantation first made the news about three years ago regarding a conflict with local residents over environmental concerns. In 2016, locals lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission alleging that the plantation -a joint investment between Thai and Chinese companies- was illegally discharging chemicals into a public waterway. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

India - Fruit growers estimate Rs 250 cr losses due to rains, hailstorm

Frequent hailstorms and torrential rains in the past one month have dashed hopes of the valley-based fruit growers, who, otherwise, were expecting a good harvest this season. The losses, although unquantifiable in such a short span, are being estimated to be above Rs 250 crore. “Using our basic parameters, we peg the recent losses due to hailstorm and rains to Horticulture sector at above Rs 250 crores,” Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman, Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union told The Kashmir Monitor. He said they are receiving reports of massive crop loss from all parts of the valley. “Hundreds of growers from Baramulla, Ganderbal, Budgam, Beerwah, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, and Kupwara have faced losses. “Our orchards seemed to be abundant in apples and other fresh fruits particularly cherry but the frequent hailstorm and high intensity rainfall along with gusty winds have left the orchardists in complete desperation,” Basheer added. Almost the entire harvest of cherry, Basheer said, has been ruined by the weather vagaries during the last three weeks. “The hailstorm, winds and rain have not only damaged standing crop of fresh fruits but have also broken the branches of the fruit plants in the orchards,” Basheer said. The latest challenge follows an equally surmounting ordeal the fruit growers had to face because of frequent and anomalous closure of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway so far this year. The closures had damaged a vast quantity of in-transit apple and cherry produce. The amalgam which Bashir heads is an umbrella body of all fruit associations of the valley. He said that it was the need of the hour for the administration including SKAUST Kashmir, directors of Horticulture department and the planning and marketing wing, to survey the affected areas. “They should depute the concerned staff immediately to all affected areas hit by hailstorm, gusty winds and heavy rainfall for the purpose of asserting the losses suffered by fruit growers,” he said. Basheer said that the concerned authorities should also inform the fruit growers about necessary remedial measures to be adopted in order to avoid further damages. Secretary Horticulture, Manzoor Ahmad Lone said that the Directorate will survey the affected areas. “The losses are covered under SDRF. The district horticulture officials consolidate the report of losses and submit it to the concerned DCs. They also check under what norms of State Disaster Response Fund these losses fall in,” he said. About the estimated Rs 250 crore losses, he said he couldn’t validate the same as he did not have any information about it. Asked about crop insurance, Lone said the reluctance from insurance companies and high-premiums had proven a detractor for the yield-based crop insurance scheme. “The cabinet, however, has agreed in principle to introduce a weather-based crop insurance scheme, which has a lower premium. We are looking into its modalities,” he said. Source - https://www.thekashmirmonitor.net

Canada - Sask. crop insurance extends greenfeed deadline

The Saskatchewan crop insurance deadline for seeding crops to greenfeed has been extended to July 15 from the former deadline of June 30, the government announced today. Dry conditions across much of the province prompted the provincial and federal governments to today announce several measures designed to help farmers and ranchers cope. The extended deadline allows producers to seed and insure any cereal greenfeed crop, including those who have not previously endorsed greenfeed on their insurance contracts. They now have until July 15 to select that endorsement and seed a crop. Dry conditions have slowed and in some cases halted both crop and pasture development and have also limited hay crop growth and potential. That has created concerns about crop viability and available livestock feed now and for the coming winter. “Current dry conditions across the province are forcing producers to revisit how they are managing their forage and pastures,” said Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit. “That is why we are announcing a number of flexible options for producers today.” Some producers may want to use a stunted cereal crop for livestock grazing and they are directed to contact crop insurance to learn their options. Producers “can register a pre-harvest claim if they do not want to carry the crop through to harvest. If the producer takes their crop to harvest, but it has a reduced yield, they can file a post-harvest claim,” said the government news release. “Producers concerned about the dry conditions should contact their local crop insurance office to review the options available for claims, compensation and the requirements for the options they choose.” The release said the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. is working to ensure timely responses to crop insurance claims and inquiries. As for the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP), the 60-day continuous criteria will be waived for the 2019 grazing season for those who have purchased that insurance. WLPIP is insurance based on a forward market price for cattle. The governments also announced that the enrolment deadline for AgriStability in the 2019 program year has been extended to July 2. Saskatchewan Agriculture has programs offered under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership for agricultural water sources, and regional offices can provide information on feeding strategies, permission requests for crown land leases, water testing and test result interpretation. “In addition, crown land lessees with excess grazing or hay resources may request permission to: sub-lease their pasture; graze non-owned cattle on the lease; harvest some or all of the hay on the lease; and sell hay from the lease,” the government said. Producers who use that option for grazing will pay the same amount as other crown land lessees and will be responsible for managing the stock, temporary fencing and water requirements not already in place. Source - https://www.producer.com

India - Nearly 60% of Vidarbha’s orange orchards dead due to drought

Changing weather conditions in Vidarbha over the past few years have spelt doom for orange cultivation in the region. In the near seven- decade history of orange plantations here, this is the first time that an alarming 60% orange orchards have gone completely dry and, for all purposes, died this year. The loss is stark in Warud tehsil of Amravati district followed by Katol and Narkhed tehsils of Nagpur district. For the first time, big and rich farmers are talking about selling off their lands and switching to other occupations. The vagaries of weather, scanty and erratic rains in last two years coupled with prolonged high temperatures throughout May and delayed pre-monsoon rains this year are responsible for this unheard-of plight of orange farmers. The loss caused to the ambia bahar crop alone (which fruits in September) is being pegged at about Rs1,620 crore. (mrig bahar, the other crop, fruits from February to April). However, the loss due to orchards (15-20 years) dying completely cannot be monetarily pegged. Shridhar Thakre, one of the Maha Orange directors and a big farmer, told that he had stopped going to the orchards as he could not see the condition of the trees. He owns a 20-acre land with 3,500 orange trees in Talegaon village (Ashti) in Wardha district with irrigation facilities. But there is no water in the wells. The water table has gone below 1,000ft. “It is for the first time that the temperatures continuously hovered between 44 degrees Celsius to 47.5 degrees in the month of May. This year, there has been no pre-monsoon showers too. Neither the agriculture nor the revenue department has visited the orchards even once,” said Thakre. Rajendra Thakre from Benoda Shahid village in Warud tehsil says he has incurred a Rs1.5 crore loss this year. “I am 58 years old and have never seen such a situation in 30 years of agriculture. I have no option but to sell the land,” he said. All four of Thakre’s wells have gone bone dry. He tried bringing water from Paknala dam about 11km from the orchard by spending Rs18 lakh but the water in the dam too dried out soon. “Electricity supply at odd hours — night and afternoon — doesn’t allow proper irrigation,” he said. Ramhesh Jichkar, who heads the Vidarbha Agriculture and Allied Producers Association and has oranges in 30 acres in Nagziri in Warud tehsil, says that 30% of his orchard has been affected. The water table here too has gone below 1,000ft. An average orange tree needs about 240 litres per day. “Past three years has a rain deficit. Where will we get water from,” he asked. Taj Khan, who has orchards in 200 acres and is a trader as well in Shahpur village, says that he deepened a water reservoir using own money so that “all can benefit but no rain means storage has been less”. “I have a farm pond too but when there is no rain there is no water to store too,” he said. Small farmers from Madhav Taiwade (Jamgaon), Ganesh Dhote (Dawsa), Rambhau Kubade, Devnarayan Chaudhary and Durgabai Galbale (Umtha), Ramuji Deshbhratar (Arambi) — all in Narkhed Taluka — just point to their dry orchards. Among the many farmers, only Manoj Jawanjal, a Maha Orange director and an organic orange grower, and Anil Junghare from Katol have managed to keep their orchards green. “I have farm ponds and bore wells. I pull out the water from wells also and store in ponds with polythene sheath at the bottom to prevent seepage,” said Junghare. Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Israel - Watermelon theft is exploding

A relatively new crime wave is sweeping the Israeli countryside. Groups of criminals are stealing everything from avocados to watermelons from local farmers. These people first plunder the farmers' stock and then sell the produce directly to merchants, potentially making make millions of shekels. Just a few weeks ago, tons of avocados were stolen near a kibbutz in northern Israel. Many of these thieves were caught by Israeli Border Police officers. The criminals have now set their sights on watermelons. According to the report, these agricultural thieves have a serious effect on the Israeli market and economy. Since the arrest of the avocado thieves, there has been an increase in the prices of these fruits and vegetables, and in turn the demand for such goods have gone down significantly. The problem is not only the damage to these farmers' livelihood, but also the damage that the harvesting does for future growth within the fields, hurting both ends of the trade. Police have now set their eyes on other fruits and vegetables whose growth has risen in this past year, in order to deter other offenders. In recent weeks, thousands of tons of watermelons have been stolen from the groves. The perpetrators arrive under the cover of night with pick-up trucks and load whatever they can - selling them below market value to merchants for about 30 NIS a piece. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

USA - Farmers want crop insurance flexibility following wet season

Wet weather has local farmers struggling to plant their crops. They say it's making the shortage of livestock feed even worse. Now, some dairy farmers are asking the USDA for more flexibility when it comes to federal crop insurance. Dairy groups and farmers say it hasn't been a good start to 2019 and the fear of the unknown is unsettling. Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative in Green Bay says Wisconsin and other Midwest states are seeing historic delays in corn planting due to a wet spring. Many farmers have even missed the planting deadline to be fully covered by crop insurance. This makes them eligible for a prevented planting payment for unplanted fields, which still requires them to plant an alternative cover crop to preserve the soil. However, farmers are restricted from harvesting these crops until November first. This is a concern for many farmers who fear the crops won't be useful by that point, so they're asking the USDA to make an exception and allow them to harvest a month early to feed their livestock because they're running out of feed. "We think it can't get any worse and it can. Mother Nature always has the upper hand in everything. Although we have crops planted, although we have corn coming through the ground now, we're halfway through June, we don't know what the next sixty days is going to bring for the growing conditions." Edge Dairy Cooperative says the reason the law doesn't allow farmers to harvest before November 1st is to prevent “double-dipping"; in other words, getting the insurance payment plus money from the sale of the "cover crop." Farmers are now pushing for an exception from the USDA this year, which has happened in the past due to a drought. Wisconsin's members of Congress sent a letter to the USDA on June 12th, requesting them to allow this one-time accommodation. They asked the USDA to act quickly and address the issue within thirty days, so farmers can make their decisions on whether to plant or take the payment. Source - https://www.nbc26.com

Zimbabwe - Power cuts threaten irrigation farming in Zaka

Smallholder farmers here are concerned with intermittent power cuts and high electricity bills they owe the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), which is likely to affect both the winter wheat and maize crops. The farmers said that they have started counting their losses as their crops are now wilting due to lack of irrigation water. “Irrigation farming requires electricity to pump water from the dam into canals, but we spend the whole day without electricity and working in the middle of the night (when there is electricity) makes our lives difficult,” said Mr Takawira Magara, a farmer at Nyatare irrigation scheme. Mrs Juliet Moyo said inflated power bills were a headache for most plot holders. “Every month, we collectively pay up to $1000 and that is affecting us as we are not producing much due to crop failure linked to power outages. “Recently, we incurred huge losses after our sugar beans crop wilted because of irrigation water shortages,” said Mrs Moyo. Zaka’s head of Agriculture Extension Services, Mr Kennedy Pedzisai said recurrent power cuts were an impediment to irrigation based farming in the area, especially at Mabvute and Nyatare projects. “The plot holders there have continually expressed concern over the sudden increase in daily load shedding schedules which forces them to work in the middle of the night. “They allege such a development is exposing them to the cold weather and the latest set up has negatively affected their irrigation cycles,” he said. Mr Pedzisai said wheat at the two irrigation schemes was close to flowering stage and required a lot of water. A snap survey by The Herald at the schemes recently showed that crops including wheat, sugar beans and maize were suffering from severe moisture stresses due to the recurrent power cuts that scuttled irrigation farming. Zaka District Development Coordinator, Mr Ndeya Nyede said he will engage the power utility on the way forward. “We are going to meet Zesa officials to make sure we find working solutions on power cuts,” he said. “Agricultural activities, especially irrigation schemes are very important and their development and increased productivity is in line with the Government’s Command Agriculture initiative,” he said. Zaka district is a drought prone area where irrigation farming and livestock production are the main sources of income for communal farmers. Source - https://www.herald.co.zw

India - State saves Rs120-crore on crop insurance scheme

In a first, Haryana has saved a whopping sum of Rs120 crore in the premium amount to be paid to the insurance companies for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) as the state’s share to insure the kharif and rabi crops of farmers in in 2019-20. The savings, which are expected to touch Rs150 crore, depending upon the number of beneficiaries to be covered under the national crop insurance scheme, were achieved after negotiations with the private insurance companies, which were made to insure the crops even below the lowest bids submitted during the e-auctioning of the process. With this, Haryana has become the first state in the country to negotiate with the insurance companies and save major amount to be paid as premium. Confirming the development, Director General, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ajit Balaji Joshi told The Tribune there was no provision of negotiation of premium rates for selection of insurance companies once they qualified as lowest bidder. However, the department made a marathon exercise to negotiate the premium rates with the indicative or lowest premium in each cluster. Following negotiations, the insurance companies submitted their final average premium rates, which came at 7.57 per cent for cluster-I by Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited, 6.3 per cent by SBI General Insurance Company Limited for cluster-II and 6.49 per cent by Bajaj Allianz for cluster-III. “The net savings amounted to Rs118.95 crore to the state government with the lowering of 13.93 per cent premium amount on the comparison of area coverage during rabi season 2017-18 and kharif season 2018. This may go up to Rs150 crore on actual number of farmers insured during kharif season 2019 and rabi season 2019-20,” Joshi disclosed. Source - https://www.tribuneindia.com

USA - Threat of insect invasion for Californian avocados

University of California Riverside is testing whether a tiny wasp can control a pest that could seriously damage California crops including wine, walnuts and avocados. The pest, a sap-sucking spotted lantern fly, is originally from China and was first detected five years ago in Pennsylvania. Since then, large populations have spread rapidly to grape vines, apple trees, and other plants in New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Experts believe the lantern fly is likely to make its way to California soon. Mark Hoddle, director of the Center for Invasive Species Research at UC Riverside, explains why the lantern fly is so harmful: "It secretes copious amounts of "honeydew," a waste product that encourages black, sooty mold and damages a plant's ability to grow." The honeydew also attracts undesirable insects such as ants and hornets. The impacts could extend well beyond California. According to industry reports, the state is the world's fourth-largest wine producer, selling an estimated $35 billion domestically and exporting $1.5 billion annually. Around 44% of non-native insects arriving in California were first established elsewhere in the U.S. Given the speed with which the spotted lantern fly has spread, Hoddle realized the state needed a proactive approach to this predictable problem. "Normally, when a bug shows up, we try to contain and eradicate it," Hoddle said. "But by the time the population is found, it tends to already be widespread and hard to handle." The state Department of Food and Agriculture recently granted Hoddle $544,000 to test whether a tiny parasitic wasp, also originally from China, could be the solution to the looming problem. The wasp lays its own eggs inside the lantern fly's eggs. While developing, the wasp larvae eat and kill their hosts, and then emerge after chewing escape holes through the lantern fly eggs. These wasps pose no threat to plants or people, but before they can be used to control the lantern fly, Hoddle must prove they won't cause unnecessary harm to other native insects. "We can't just release a Chinese parasite into the wild in California," Hoddle said. "Chances are low it will harm the wrong targets, but we have to be sure." Safety testing will be conducted in a highly secure quarantine facility at UC Riverside. Native lantern flies, the subjects of safety testing, will be collected from natural areas in California and southern Arizona this summer. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

USDA predicts 5.4 million bag decline in world coffee production

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts world coffee production for 2019/20 to reach 169.1 million 60-kilogram bags, according to its Coffee: World Markets and Trade report, released in June 2019. This marks a decline of 5.4 million bags from the previous year. USDA attributes this drop primarily to Brazil’s Arabica trees entering the off-year of the biennial production cycle. With global consumption forecast at a record 167.9 million bags, USDA expects ending inventories to retreat 2.8 million bags to 33.5 million. The department anticipates world exports dropping 800,000 bags to 116.8 million, as lower exports from Brazil more than offset higher shipments from Indonesia and Vietnam. Brazil’s Arabica output is forecast to drop 7.2 million bags to 41.0 million. USDA says despite a drop in production, good weather conditions generally prevailed in most coffee growing regions during the blossoming and fruit-forming stages. Crop quality is expected lower than last year because trees in many areas had multiple stages of maturity when the coffee cherries were harvested. The country’s Robusta harvest is forecasted to reach a record 18.3 million bags, an increase of 1.7 million. Abundant rainfall aided fruit development in the major producing state of Espirito Santo, while good crop management practices supported a steady increase in the state of Rondonia. However, the combined Arabica and Robusta harvest is forecast down 5.5 million bags to 59.3 million. With reduced supplies, bean exports are expected to drop 2.5 million bags to 33.5 million, and ending stocks are forecast to decline 1.0 million bags to 2.9 million. Consumption is expected to continue rising to a record 23.5 million bags. USDA forecasts Vietnam’s production to add 100,000 bags to last year’s numbers for a record 30.5 million bags. Between January and early April 2019, the main coffee regions in the Central Highlands experienced seasonally dry and sunny weather, and trees were irrigated. The rainy season was slightly delayed, but adequate for good flowering and fruit-set. USDA says total output for Central America and Mexico is forecast nearly unchanged at 19.1 million bags, as some countries in the region continue to struggle with the coffee rust outbreak that first lowered output in 2013/14. Gains in Mexico on favourable weather are expected to offset losses in Honduras. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama are flat at 650,000 bags, 3.6 million bags, and 100,000 bags, respectively. Nicaragua is forecast 200,000 bags lower to 2.3 million as financial constraints are expected to lead to reduced inputs and yields. Bean exports for the region are forecast to lose 600,000 bags to 15.5 million mainly due to lower exportable supplies in Honduras. More than 45 per cent of the region’s exports are destined for the European Union, followed by about one-third to the United States. Colombia’s production is forecast flat at 14.3 million bags on normal growing conditions. The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) estimates that since 2012, about half of the country’s 940,000 hectares of coffee have been renovated, mostly with rust-resistant varieties. This effort raised yields nearly one-third to 18.2 bags per hectare and lowered the average age of coffee trees to seven years from 15. Indonesia’s production is forecast to gain a modest 100,000 bags to 10.7 million, with the gain split evenly between Arabica and Robusta output. Robusta production is expected to reach 9.5 million bags on favourable growing conditions in the lowland areas of Southern Sumatra and Java, where approximately 75 per cent is grown. Despite heavy rainfall in West Java that delayed its Arabica harvest, USDA expects exports to be up slightly. EU imports are forecast down 500,000 bags to 48.5 million and account for more than 40 per cent of the world’s coffee bean imports. Top suppliers include Brazil at 29 per cent, Vietnam at 25 per cent, Honduras at eight per cent, and Colombia at six per cent). Ending stocks are expected down 700,000 bags to 13.1 million. The US imports the second-largest amount of coffee beans and is forecast 400,000 bags higher to 26.5 million. Top suppliers include Brazil at 24 per cent, Colombia at 22 per cent, Vietnam at 15 per cent, and Guatemala at six per cent. Ending stocks are forecast up 200,000 bags to 6.9 million. Source - http://gcrmag.com

Canada - Satellites to provide real-time data of crop development

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) is Canada’s new generation of Earth observation satellites, launched on June 12, 2019. The three identical satellites will work together to bring solutions to key challenges for Canadians, including farmers. The data coming from the satellites are going to provide wall-to-wall coverage of Canada’s terrestrial land mass. The satellites reportedly have the capacity to collect data from across Canada in two or three days, providing almost real-time pictures of crop growth and soil moisture, explains Dr. Andrew Davidson, manager, earth observation operations for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

Australia - NQ flood cattle losses now estimated at 600,000

ABARES says its own analysis, based on industry estimates, places the number of cattle producers lost as a result of severe flood events in northern Queensland in late January and early February 2019 at 600,000. It also notes that recent saleyard data indicates that demand for young cattle for restocking is high in northern Queensland. In the week ending 10 May 2019, purchases of cattle under 12 months old at Charters Towers saleyard—the closest to the flood-affected regions—were around 10 times the weekly average. Other large saleyards in Queensland, including Central Queensland Livestock Exchange at Gracemere and Roma Store, also had higher than average purchases of young cattle in the months following the floods. Saleyard purchases represent only a portion of total cattle sales in Australia because most transactions occur privately between seller and purchaser. However, data from saleyards indicate it is likely that substantial restocking is underway in flood-affected areas. Source - https://www.beefcentral.com

USA - Flooded fields mean staggering losses for Northeast Ohio farmers

The frequent and torrential rain has flooded cities and small towns across Northeastern Ohio. For those who live off the land, flooded fields have brought significant losses in product and revenue, potentially driving up grocery prices later in the season. With a scruffy beard and muddy work boots, Charles Kettering gazed over his hundreds of rolling acres near Ashland on Monday afternoon. A large, winding body of water has relegated some of his acreage into a series of small islands. Farmers always want some early season rain. Unfortunately, the Ketterings have gotten too much of it — and then some. “We’ve seen deeper water than what we have right now but it seems like they get more challenging every year as far as when they come and how long they stay,” Kettering said. “One extreme is followed by another. I’m kind of worried about what our next extreme is.” As much as a third of the 800 acres of corn and soybeans that Kettering planted a few weeks ago is currently underwater. The chances of that part of his crop surviving are next to nothing. As little as a full day underwater is enough to kill off whatever he planted. The deluge of heavy rain in late May and early June flooded much of the area’s fertile farmland, including Kettering’s acreage, which sits in the bottom of a valley. After significant rain in the early part of the planting season, Kettering was delayed in getting his crop planted. A period of dry weather, however, left him hopeful but for a dry growing season but concerned for a more prolonged wet season. “I know these bottoms really well. I always let them go late because they are known to flood,” Kettering said. “I didn’t wait long enough this year.” The end result is an estimated $100,000 loss, according to Kettering. Between 200 and 350 acres will have to be replanted. However, Kettering worries that by the time dry weather comes it may be too late to replant. Crop insurance may cover part of his lost crop but it’s only a small consolation. “We usually stay around the average. That isn’t happening this year,” Kettering said. “Luckily we have other things that we dabble with so that it isn’t a total wipeout. It still hurts. It still hurts at the end of the year to bills get paid.” Kettering is far from the only farmer dealing with a historically wet spring in Ohio and the Midwest. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is seeking a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in hopes of freeing up federal assistance for impacted farmers. State officials said as of last week that half of the state’s corn crop had been planted while less than a third of the state’s soybean crop had been planted. Despite the staggering amount of lost time, product and money, Kettering remains hopeful for a successful harvest. “There’s a lot of satisfaction that goes with it. Just like this, it’s another stumbling block in the year,” Kettering said. “You know it can always be worse. It can always be worse.” Source - https://www.news5cleveland.com