Severe Drought Taking Toll On Georgia Farms, Crops
Wilted corn is shown just outside the range on an irrigation system Donald Chase’s farm in Oglethorpe, Ga., Monday, June 15, 201. Little rain and hot weather has produced a serious drought hurting farmers across Georgia. Almost three-quarters of the state is already in a severe drought. Weather reports show the most parched pocket is in southwest Georgia. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore / Associated Press
The hot, dry summer is turning into a warm, dry fall, and likely a dry winter too. It’s taking a toll on Georgia farmers, especially in the northwest corner of the state, where not enough hay grew and row crops didn’t do well, either.
“In my career this is as dry as I’ve seen it in northwest Georgia, which I’ve always lived in,” said Norman Edwards, the county extension agent for the University of Georgia in Walker County. “It’s the most severe drought most individuals up here have ever seen. I’m sure other years that’s been dry, but some parts of the county – I mean, it’s totally been brown, grass has been brown, pastures, fields been brown all summer long.”
Edwards said people with cattle and livestock couldn’t grow and harvest enough of their own hay, or buy enough locally.
“It’s not uncommon to see tractor trailer loads full of hay coming in this year. About every day you see some coming in from several surrounding states.”
Row crops were severely affected this year too, he said. Corn yields are down, and he said some soybean fields were abandoned. And the ground is so dry, many farmers haven’t been able to plant winter crops which, according to Edwards, have their best yields if they’re planted by Nov. 1.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 77 Georgia counties as being in a “drought disaster.” The state’s Environmental Protection Division has declared a drought in more than 50 counties, including all of the Atlanta area.
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