Corn is seeing the biggest setback due to the moderately dry conditions. “The crop developed so quickly it didn’t have time to root in like it did last year,” said Greg LaPlante, president, GL Crop Consulting. “They’re probably tapped out in the top few feet in the soil.” Fields were pushed during spring planting and some of the crop got mudded in. Rains can fix that, but the million-dollar rains never came. “We’re about eight inches away from normal rainfall.” LaPlante says Richland County farmers may have to plant corn on corn next year to use up some of the nitrogen in fields that have lower than expected yields. “The crop rotation that got messed up this year will be messed up again next year. It will take us about three years to get it back.” Photo credit: Greg LaPlante
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