What farmers couldn’t see in January and February was a wet March and April that slowed the planting of crops, a dry spring and summer with 15 consecutive 100-degree days that caused a drought and heat damage to the crops that were planted, and an October rain storm of historic proportions. Annually, during the first couple of months of the year, farmers look at commodity prices and crop rotation schedules and plan what they will plant. This year, corn, soybeans, cotton, peanuts, tobacco topped their lists. The state had a wet April, David DeWitt, a farmer and Clemson Extension agent, said on a recent segment of SCETV’s “Making it Grow!” That segment addressed flood damage to crops in the state. In a conversation with show host and fellow agent Amanda McNulty, DeWitt went on to explain that, for instance, in Sumter County, there wasn’t another amount of measurable rain from April until July fourth. By then, most of the growing season was past, and 40 percent of the farmers in the state were affected. A federal disaster had already been declared for the state’s drought, DeWitt said. DeWitt is among those urging farmers to complete surveys being taken in the state to assess damage. Before facing the early-October flood, and more damage to crops, changes in the 2014 Farm Bill had also eliminated direct, guaranteed payments to farmers. Now, a press release from Clemson University said, the amount South Carolina farmers can recoup from the estimated $300 million in losses from the flood will depend on the private insurance they acquired. “The (federal) farm programs have changed dramatically,” S.C. Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers explained recently. “We deal with risk mitigation through insurance now.” Weathers called his agency’s $300 million loss a conservative estimate. Water still stands in some Williamsburg County fields and where water has receded, the ground is too soft for farmers to bring in equipment. In Florence County, fields not too wet have had crops plowed under. Crops suffer from disease, insect damage, mold and fungus, Weathers said. In some cases, DeWitt said, it may not be worth harvesting the crops left in the field. Dave Lamie, Clemson associate professor and extension specialist with a focus in community economics, said that from his perspective the flood has possibly caused damage to upstream businesses, such as agricultural suppliers (feed, seed, fertilizer, fuel, etc.), as well as to downstream businesses, such as distributors and processors. “We are only just beginning to understand to what extent these important parts of the agriculture and food ecosystem are affected. Further, once we know more, we can begin to contemplate the indirect and induced effects (multiplier effects) on the surrounding communities, counties, and state,” he said. Harry Ott, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency, and a farmer who produces cotton, corn, and peanuts in Calhoun County, said most of the corn, tobacco, and sweet potato crop in Williamsburg County had been harvested before the flooding. However, cotton, peanuts, soybeans and late fall crops have been greatly affected by the rains. Some 75-80 percent of the county’s cotton and peanuts and between 60 and 70 percent of its soybeans are going to be a loss, Ott said. Aaron Wood, assistant commissioner with the state’s agricultural department, said sorghum was mostly harvested in the area as well, and round bales of hay may be damaged if they were being stored outside for use this winter. Crops unaffected by the rains will be perennial forage and pasture crops, he said. As for tree farms, Wood said, “There were reports of a few trees blown down because of the saturated ground, but otherwise established stands of plantation pine should be OK.” Some seedlings in newly replanted stands that were flooded may die, he added, but it will take a few months to really assess the damage to that crop. All agreed that the rain and residual wet fields will delay or prevent any small winter wheat, rye, oats or other grains from being planted. “Farmers simply cannot get into their fields,” Ott said. Agriculture, when timber is included, is the largest industry in the state, DeWitt said. As for the damaged crops, DeWitt said it may be better to leave it. “Don’t harvest it; don’t take it to market. Don’t spend any more money on it,” he said. Lamie said it will likely take state and federal resources to help put the agricultural sector back on its feet. “In many situations, this can occur quite rapidly; in others, it will likely take a while, perhaps more than a growing season,” he said. Farmers who started with a lot, DeWitt said, will have a little. Those who started in a hole will have a bigger hole. “Some of them (farmers) went into this situation with already-strained financial health. Some were in better shape and will likely find it easier to recover, so long as Mother Nature cooperates,” Lamie said. “Access to short-term credit is likely going to be essential for most. Every situation will likely be different, so I caution us from using sweeping generalities and encourage us to consider this on a case-by-case situation.” Source - http://www.scnow.com