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Agronomist Says Excess Rain Very Bad News for Area Farmers
A local agriculture expert says last Friday's heavy rains was, in his words, "another nail in the coffin" in the current planting season.

Agronomist Greg Jones says the well over three inches of rain most areas saw last Friday added on to an already bad situation for local farmers, keeping many fields with plenty of ponds in them, which in turn keeps farmers out of them.

Jones tells WGIL that could keep farmers out of their fields and away from planting for another week, though there is some hope.

"Certainly as we warm up a little bit and if we get some air movement this week, it looks like the forecast for this week is for a decent dry spell, soils will start to dry a little bit quicker than they have in the past," Jones said. "We've been remaining pretty cool, and now if we can get some breezes and get the temperatures up, which it appears we will get some sunshine, soils will dry out faster than they have in the past."

Jones says he believes some progress was made in corn planting last week, but he says he knows there are plenty of fields where nothing is planted. He says it just depends from area to area.

Jones believes the seed that has been planted is likely being affected; he says seeds germinating need oxygen, and they can't get it if they're under water.
05 19 09 by Newsroom
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