Ohio Corn Farmers Make Up Time
A record amount of corn was planted in Ohio this year, providing a sharp turnaround from a month ago when many farmers thought the entire season might get washed out by weeks of heavy rain.
Some excellent weather in early June and increasingly advanced growing methods are credited with the change in fortunes.The amount of corn produced per acre isn't expected to be at record levels because of the late start, but farmers and experts now think yields could at least be average.
Wheat farmers, who also were set back by bad weather, have made a similar rebound.
"That is amazing considering how late farmers started planting this year," said Natalie Lehner, spokeswoman for the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association. Many growers were forced to do their entire spring planting during a span of four days in June, she said, when the weather was dry and warm enough to get seeds into the ground.
Ohio has 3.5 million acres planted with corn, a record that tops the 3.45 million acres planted last year, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The crop ranks ninth nationally.
The estimates are based on surveys of farmers. Nationally, the USDA said that farmers have planted more corn this year than in any other year besides 1944.
In Ohio, farmers faced record rains in April and above-average totals for May. Advancements in agricultural technology and science helped farmers successfully play catch-up.
"Thirty years ago, this would not have been an option," said Mark Wachtman, president of the Ohio growers association and a Henry County farmer. "Technology, such as using GPS to guide planting, allows us to plant quickly and do it right the first time.
"Also, biotech seeds make it possible to have a shorter growing season during adverse weather conditions."
The prospect of an abundant harvest and news that existing inventories hadn't fallen as much as expected sent corn prices down yesterday.
Corn futures for December delivery declined 30 cents, the maximum allowed on the Chicago Board of Trade, to $6.205 a bushel. More-expensive grain has led to food-price increases this year. That could ultimately make everything from beef to cereal to soft drinks more expensive at the supermarket. For all of 2011, the USDA predicts food prices will rise 3 percent to 4 percent.
A huge harvest in August could ultimately slow food inflation. It typically takes six months for changes in commodity prices to affect retail food prices in the U.S. Analysts say consumers could see some relief at the supermarket by early 2012.
Wheat growers, who also were affected by the record rains, have planted more crops this year than last, according to USDA estimates. The agency said Ohio farmers planted 890,000 acres in wheat this season, compared with 780,000 acres planted in the 2010 growing season.
But there still could be some issues with the quality of the wheat because of the excessive rains this spring, said Pierce Paul, Ohio State Extension specialist and plant pathologist.
"This has not been the best season for wheat," Paul said in a statement. "Farmers faced everything from flooded wheat fields and disease issues to prevented spring nitrogen applications because of the severity of conditions."
Fred Yoder, a Plain City farmer who was able to plant his entire crop in four days at the beginning of June, said he's hopeful that the weather this summer will cooperate and present him with at least average yields.
"The weather so far has been good," he said. "I've never seen corn grow this fast.
"We'll have a crop that is knee high by the Fourth of July," Yoder said, noting that "the saying is a benchmark growers use to determine if they'll have a decent crop."
"Usually it's waist high now, but there is still a good chance that we'll get a good crop."
Not all of Ohio's farmers were able to make it into the fields to get crops in the ground. Some were forced to make claims on their crop insurance because they were in areas that were just too wet to plant.
In Ohio, planting after May 10 cuts corn yields by about one bushel per acre per day of delay. The target date to finish planting is June 5. After that, insured farmers can make claims under the "prevented planting" provision of their insurance policies -- or switch to soybeans.
Brent Hostetler of Plain City found himself in that situation.
He said he was not able to plant 207 acres of his 2,000-acre farm. For those unplanted acres, he was forced to take crop insurance, he said.
"It's frustrating. It's not in a farmer's nature not to plant," Hostetler said. "But when you find yourself in that situation, it's good to have the crop insurance as an option."
Information from the Associated Press was included in this story.
