Dry weather creating concern for farmers on Delmarva

DELMARVA – “Each day with these temperatures you can see the crops going backward every day,” said Travis Hutchinson, a farmer, and partner of Hutchison Brothers.

“They’re looking worse and worse,” said Hutchinson, who is also chairman of the Maryland Soybean Board.

Farmers across Delmarva say days of dry weather have had an impact on their crops.

“So, when dry weather does hit, it affects everyone and certainly coupled with heat we are not able to sufficiently even with irrigation it’s hard to keep up and keep the moisture in the ground,” said T.S. Smith & Sons Co-Owner Matt Smith.

Farmers like Travis Hutchinson say they were fortunate to get some rainfall days before the dry weather began

But he says if he doesn’t get any rain this week he could lose 50 to 100 bushels of corn per acre.

“We got four inches of rain the week of July 6, so we started out with good soil moisture going into this heatwave, which was a good thing for us,” said Hutchinson.

“Some farmers in the state didn’t get all that, so they started behind the ball,” said Hutchinson.

Farmers say although they have an irrigation system to help beat the heat it’s tough to keep it running.

“With irrigation, it’s nice to have it, but it does take work to maintain it, to keep it running, to watch it, to put on the proper amounts when the crop needs the rain,” said Hutchinson.

Overall, farmers say all they can do is hope for rain and keep pushing forward.

“We’re counting on those crops to pay our bills and to live for the next year so without the timely rainfall, without good prices when we sell our crops at the mill, it does make it difficult for the farmer and will adversely affect going into 2021,” said Hutchinson.

According to farmer Jay Baxter from Baxter Farms, the dry weather has been even more challenging for farmers raising livestock.