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Corn, Pasture, Hay Loss Estimated At 40 Percent
Rain the Rockbridge area has received this past week has been quite beneficial but not nearly enough to offset the lingering effects of the unusually hot and dry conditions we have experienced this summer.
That’s the gist of the message Tom Stanley, agricultural and natural resources Extension agent, delivered to the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors Monday. The supervisors subsequently followed Stanley’s recommendation to declare a drought emergency and request disaster assistance for farmers from the appropriate state and federal agencies.
Prior to the rains that began a week ago, the Rockbridge area had experienced an extended period of dry, hot weather that, according to Stanley, “led to a rapid loss of topsoil moisture loss so early in the growing season that Rockbridge County is now under the threat of significant loss of agricultural production.”
Therefore, he continued, “I think it is appropriate for Rockbridge County leadership to engage our local [United States Department of Agriculture’s] Farm Service Agency’s County Emergency Board, and through them alert state officials and the USDA Farm Service Agency of the emerging drought and livestock feed shortage in Rockbridge County.”
Stanley said that “the origins of the current drought and feed shortage situation began last fall in the period from mid-August to mid-November. Rockbridge County received only about 30 percent of the rainfall it normally does during this period. This impacted livestock operations most significantly, requiring them to utilize inventories of hay up to 90 days sooner than usual and denying livestock producers the opportunity to extend the grazing season into January as many of them are often able to [do].”
Extremely dry conditions in June and much of July, combined with hot temperatures, he said, “have put hay, pasture and row crops in jeopardy. At this point in the season, I estimate most corn, pasture and hay together have suffered an approximate loss of 40 percent of yield potential. The frequency and pattern of precipitation [between] July [and] September will determine if forage and grain yield losses are held to 40 percent, or if the losses are greater.
“These losses are made worse by depleted hay and silage inventories from the previous year, making our livestock and dairy operations more exposed to the risk of a severe feed shortage. I have reports of a number of livestock farmers who are now providing their livestock supplemental purchased feed due to lack of pasture and other marketing livestock due to limited pasture.”
Jay Lewis made a motion, seconded by Dan Lyons, to adopt the emergency drought declaration. The motion passed 5-0.
