Heat Wave Leaves Farmers Scrambling - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

SALISBURY, Md. - Eleven days of record breaking temperatures combined with no rainfall means crops are now in jeopardy.

Charles Otto, a local farmer says, "Biggest problem this time of the year with the hot weather, is the corn going into a pollination period. It can cook the pollen with the extreme heat."

Local farmers don't know the extent of the damage just yet; but they do know that corn has suffered the most and there's very little they can do to fix the situation.

"When its brown from the top to the bottom its pretty much a no win deal after that," says Otto.

Due to the excessive heat and the warm winter, crop farmers are now faced with some difficult decisions. Like what to do about the large amount of insects and how to limit further damage to the already dried out crops.

"From stinkbugs, to thorps, to mites, its been a managery, the heat speeds up the cycle of insects, and it creates more problems, and with the plants stressed out, they're more susceptible to diseases," expresses Otto.

With cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast, Delmarva farmers may finally get the relief they've been hoping for.