Drought threatens crop yields in many parts of southern Ohio

ASHVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- Since the start of June, a little more than three inches of rain has fallen on parched farm fields in Pickaway County, more than six inches below the average amount during the hot, high-sun period of early summer.

A little more than an inch of rain came in some locally heavier showers in recent days, but not enough to make up for the damage done to the corn crop by persistent heat and dry weather.

"When you get down 30 inches deep, it's solid rock," said Ross Black, who farms 1,200 acres across southern Franklin and northern Pickaway counties, a distance of 30 miles from north to south.

Black kicked the dirt in the field and only brought up dust. "So when you combine shallow topsoil that doesn't have a lot of water-retaining topsoil with the drought that we're in, we can ramp up from D1 (Moderate) to D2 (Severe) drought really quickly, like we have now," he said.

Adequate rain in the spring provided an early start to the growing season. Now, Black expects "a half a corn crop."

A few decades ago, the crop losses would have been worse, before research provided a partial buffer against the vagaries of too little rain with more resilient hybrid seeds. "But that still doesn't mean they can produce a nice crop with no rainfall at all," Black said.

The technology in the tractor cab provides a much more efficient distribution of nutrients. "When the planter drops the seed from into the ground, I know the soil temperature and moisture," said Black.

Choosing the best hybrid seed corn at the beginning of the season helps crops weather the stress. Crop data helps farmers maximize the application of fertilizer with the aid of electronic controls in an increasingly automated world. These improvements also promote water and soil conservation.

"The corn that is planted today is much more resilient than it was 20 years ago," said Todd Jeffries, vice president of Seed Genetics Direct, an Ohio-based, family-owned company that manages a research plot near the Black farm.

Jeffries noted that said corn "can handle a lot more stress, it can handle a lot more disease pressure," and the yields a quarter-century ago would be only half of what is expected in a dry year like 2024.

The added financial uncertainty for farmers this year is that ample rain in the Midwest will bring a bumper crop of corn and soybeans, resulting in lower commodity prices while yields in south-central Ohio are down sharply. Jeffries called the situation a "double-edged sword."

Bill Black has managed the family farmland since 1991. He said the crops are looking the least favorable since the hot, dry summer of 2012, and believes the persistent drought has left little opportunity to add bushels of corn. The goal now is to salvage what’s left.

Summer field work in these dry conditions includes driving a sprayer to apply insecticide, fertilizer to control insects, and to halt weeds and fungal disease.

The soybeans, spread out over 20-inch rows, have fared better despite being stunted, but will offer lower yields if more rain does not come in the next few weeks.

Black knows how to calculate the final score: "Mother nature always wins."