"After the unexpected and devastating freeze in the early spring, most Kentucky farmers hoped that the worst weather of the season was behind them. Instead, it was only the beginning.
This summer, Kentucky farmers have faced one of the driest and hottest growing seasons in almost 100 years.
Tom Priddy, UK's extension agricultural meteorologist, stated in a recent UK Weather Center report that mid-August saw record and near-record temperatures across the commonwealth, with most locations approaching and exceeding the 100 degree mark, the third heat wave of the growing season.
Western and eastern Kentucky have deepened into extreme drought status and the central and Bluegrass regions have deepened in severe hydrologic drought status, according to the Palmer Drought Index released on September 4. The amount of rainfall needed to end the hydrologic drought ranges from 8.15 inches in the Bluegrass to 11.35 inches in western Kentucky.
One of the hardest hit areas is in the western part of the state around Christian County, where temperatures topped 105 and 107 on back-to-back days in mid-August.
"We started off dry in the spring, which really sets this year off for this area," said Jay Stone, agricultural extension agent in Christian County. "We haven't seen any rain since early June and temperatures above 100 for days on end. Most people around here say you have to go back to 1935 to even begin to find a year that would compare."
Farm impact
As farmers enter into the beginning of harvest season for many of Kentucky's crops, temperatures appear to be falling somewhat. Yet the extended drought coupled with the extremely high temperature has wreaked havoc on all areas of Kentucky's agriculture industry.
Much of the state's soybean and corn crops were listed in poor condition at the beginning of September, according to the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service. Full-season soybeans may not have full pods, and in areas where high temperatures have remained constant, many soybeans have dropped pods to protect the plant.
Corn is maturing and being harvested on a pace ahead of that of 2006, and corn yields are expected to be down at least 26 bushels per acre from last year's 146-bushel state average, according UK specialists.
"Our corn harvest had not started when I went to the state fair, and when I got home combines were running everywhere," said Stone. "This year, we are looking at corn averages in the county around 100 to 110 bushels per acre, with low being around 75 and high 120."
Forages, such as alfalfa, had already suffered losses with the early freeze. The drought and heat has taken its toll on Kentucky's forage base. In fact, Kentucky hay and pasture fields were rated 71 percent poor or very poor according to recent report from the Kentucky NASS office.
"Forage losses valued at from $250 million to $400 million are possible from the combined freeze and now drought disasters," said Kentucky Farm Bureau President Marshall Coyle in a letter to Governor Fletcher.
With hay prices soaring across the commonwealth, livestock producers scramble to maintain their herds. Kentucky cattle farmers, faced with a shortage of hay and pasture, sold 88,153 more head of cattle in July and the first three weeks of August than in the same period last year, according to KDA's Market News Service.
"Farmers are baling cornstalks as an alternative to hay in this area, and we are seeing a lot of CRP getting cut for emergency hay," explained Jay Stone. "I keep telling farmers, now is the time to start culling the cattle in their operation."
Government action
Governor Ernie Fletcher sent a request to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns at the end of August requesting that USDA disaster assistance be made available to farmers across the commonwealth. He followed this request last week with a letter to Kentucky's congressional delegation, encouraging swift legislative action to include direct financial assistance to the state's farmers due to this year's weather disasters.
In addition to his request for disaster assistance, Governor Fletcher instructed the Kentucky Office of Insurance to exempt licensed adjusters in other states from the licensing requirements in Kentucky for the purpose of adjusting crop insurance claims in our state. This will allow crop insurance companies to send licensed adjusters into Kentucky to expedite the claims process for Kentucky producers.
Though federal assistance will be a welcome relief to many farmers during this time of disaster, the fact remains that it cannot begin to compensate the producers for the time and investment that is lost this season. From tomatoes to soybeans and alfalfa to dairy cattle, farmers across the state have a long road ahead this winter to recover from Kentucky's unusual weather this growing season.