Record-Setting Rains Hurting NEPA Farmers

 

Editor’s Note: This is a good awareness story during Farm Show Week!

JEFFERSON TWP., PA – Will Keating looked at the depleted hay stockpile in his barn and thought about the impact on his dairy farm.

“It will cost us another $15,000 to $18,000 to get through the winter,” Mr. Keating said as his herd of 38 milking cows lounged in theMountCobbbarn. “The hay took a big hit and quality is down. It’s very frustrating.”

Drenching summer rainfall severely diminished production of forage crops, such as feed corn and hay, on many regional dairy farms. Months after the record-setting rains ceased, the shortfall forces dairy farmers to buy hay and feed they would not need after a normal growing season.

“My hay crop was the worst I ever had,” said Joe Davitt, a Waymart-area dairy farmer. “It’s going to cost me probably $2,000 a month to feed my cattle. In a normal winter, I don’t have any added expenses.”

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/record-setting-rains-hurting-area-farmers-1.1255054#ixzz1iygMGUIF

For Berks County Farmers, It’s Location, Location, Location

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Who would have ever thought proximity to Route 422 would be a litmus test for a good corn crop?  Certainly not I.  However, that is the case in Berks County.  Farms south of 422 are in good shape and farms north of 422 are suffering. 

July’s above normal temperatures, coupled with a lack of rain has caused tremendous damage to corn crops in Berks County located north of 422.  Farms south of 422 received more rain and the clay-like soil holds moisture better.  Most farms in Berks County do not use irrigation to water crops.

Berks County is not the only place where the corn crop is doing poorly.  Nationwide it is estimated that corn yields will be down 40 percent!  This translates into higher prices at the supermarket for you and I!

Another casualty of the heat has been milk production.  Cows do not like heat (sounds familiar) and when they are hot they eat less and produce less milk!