June 2015 was the seventh wettest June on record in Indianapolis, according to the National Weather Service. An average of 9.03 inches fell across the state, in some places dumping rain onto already saturated farmland.
The northeast, eastern central and northwest regions were hit hardest, said Christopher Hurt, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University.
“Some of the areas had four times the normal rainfall,” Hurt said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Aug. 12 that 158 bushels of corn would be produced per acre. Normal yields should be at 166.5 bushels per acre this year. Dr. Bob Nielsen, extension corn specialist at Purdue University, said there was a large range of damage throughout the state.
“In some areas, there’s literally nothing there,” he said.
Southern Indiana, however, did better than normal.
Seth Eads, owner of Snoozin’ Goose Ranch just outside Bloomington, said he felt the affects of the rain on his corn crop. Eads said it took a few plantings before his small crop would grow.
“It needs enough rain so that it doesn’t get too dry, but not so much that it’s constantly wet,” Eads said. He also said the ground must initially be dry enough to “get the ground worked up” for planting, and some farmers may have been delayed because of the rain.
Hurt said farms will suffer great losses on an individual basis. Each farmer’s ability to recover depends on whether or not they have crop insurance.
“The good news in all that is that most farm families are in a strong financial position,” Hurt said.
However, Nielsen said the debts some farmers are carrying may continue to grow, and the combination of low yields and low prices could have a serious effect on farmers.
“Some of them will be extremely challenged in absorbing that kind of loss,” he said. Despite the fact about 80 percent of corn and soybean farmers have federal crop insurance, Nielsen said in some cases they won’t receive any aid. Few farmers have coverage higher than 75 or 80 percent, he said.
Both Nielsen and Hurt said the rest of the Corn Belt is projected to do well when it’s time to harvest.
“Our problems aren’t being experienced by others in the Corn Belt,” Nielsen said. “There’s going to be plenty of corn.”
