Harvest in the Midst of Drought

Although drought persists in varying degrees of severity from year to year and region to region, the 2012 drought that affected most of the United States was nothing less than an agricultural abomination.

Considered to be the most severe and extensive drought to impact the country in the last 25 years, these less-than-stellar conditions affected most of the nation, significantly stunting crop yields and hindering livestock growth as well. As farmers still contend with the unsavory conditions and attempt to rebound from below-average yields, U.S. consumers must brace for significant changes in the retail sector for some time to come.

What began as a year filled with positive predictions supporting promising crop conditions and record or near-record yields quickly morphed into a dry, unforgiving growing season that rivaled some of the worst in recent decades. At the onset of the growing season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported very favorable conditions for both the corn and soybean crops – two staples that are critical for supply, demand, and price conditions affecting the 2012-2013 marketing year.

The report initially indicated that more than 75 percent of the nation’s corn crop and 65 percent of the soybean crop were rated good to excellent. Just a few months later, only a quarter of the corn crop received the highest rating, while half of the nation’s corn crop was rated poor or very poor. In the same vein, soybeans took a significant hit, with only 35 percent of the crop registering in the good-to-excellent range. As the conditions for these field crops continued to decline throughout the growing season, the below-average yields would not only affect their output, but the success of the livestock sectors as well.

livestock drought

Drought has become a concern and livestock producers are concerned about water quantity and quality. The NRCS has been assisting livestock producers with issues with water for livestock through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. NRCS photo

When significant feeder crops such as corn and soybeans fail to thrive, cattle, hog, poultry, and dairy farmers take a direct hit. Like any consumer product, when the feed supply cannot meet the demand, prices rise, leaving ranchers vulnerable to restrained growth. Add in the drought’s adverse effect on pasturelands, and the livestock sector must also contend with reduced availability of pastures and hay due to heat stress.

“The drought caused everything to ‘burn up,’ resulting in significant decreases in crop yields,” explained retired cattle rancher Jim Rowlett of Pinson, Tenn. “The grass became stressed and subsequently died, which results in a long recovery period. The drought also created a food shortage for cattle, resulting in weight loss and a weaker immune system, which makes the herd more susceptible to disease. In addition, stressed cattle may not breed back as soon as they are supposed to. Finally, the food shortage caused an increase in cost for cattle production, and we all know that lower yields result in higher costs.”

According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), greater production declines for cattle, hogs, and poultry are anticipated for 2013 while milk production is expected to remain stable. These production declines will be directly felt by consumers in terms of higher prices at the supermarket.

Drought-induced Herbicide Carry-over

As if the drought didn’t wreak enough havoc on farmers, the threat of drought-induced herbicide carry-over and its potential impact on the 2013 harvest has many on edge. The application of herbicides during the planting and growing seasons is a commonality: Herbicides effectively inhibit weed seedling germination and protect crop yields from yield-robbing weeds. “Generally, when herbicides are applied, we rely on chemical or microbial processes in the soil to break down the herbicides so they are not harmful to a rotational crop,” said Bill Johnson, professor of weed science, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University.

However, after the drought, in which summer rains were practically nonexistent, the herbicides used to promote growth and inhibit weeds for the previous crop were still present in the soil. “When there isn’t much rainfall, as was the case during the 2012 planting and growing seasons, normal breakdown reactions are slowed dramatically, which can result in herbicide retention in the soil,” Johnson said. This retention can create a potentially hazardous condition for new plantings.

Generally, winter wheat and forage grass are at most risk for contamination. Oftentimes, when the corn and soybean crops fail to produce to expectations, many farmers contemplate planting these cover crops to offset their earlier yield deficits. However, early results suggest that both the winter wheat and forage grass crops planted at the end of 2012 fared much better than initially expected.

As for spring 2013 plantings of both corn and soybeans, a particular concern is the retention of chlorimuron, fomesafen, and triazine herbicides and their potential carryover to sensitive crops. To safeguard new plantings, experts advise either waiting a full year before planting triazine-sensitive soybeans in these fields, or replanting the field with corn. Although herbicide carry-over in fields where soybeans were the previous crop is not as likely, chances still exist that a chlorimuron or fomesafen herbicide is still present in the soil if they were used during 2012.

With so many questions still surrounding the herbicide carry-over problem, the only definitive way to ensure a healthy field, and thus a healthy crop, is to test the soil. While testing at an independent lab provides accurate results, the cost can certainly be prohibitive. On-site testing can be just as accurate, but much less costly.

A soil bioassay is a simple but effective test that can help farmers determine if their fields are prone to herbicide carry-over injury. To conduct the test, several soil samples from across the field in question – as well as soil samples from an unaffected field – should be gathered several weeks before the intended planting.

Mix the soil samples from the affected field together and place them in flats or pots in a greenhouse. The healthy soil samples should be clearly marked and separated from the other batch, following the same planting guidelines. Both sets of samples should be watered for three to five days, ensuring the soil remains moist during this time. Plant seeds from the next, intended crop in sample pots from the two fields. Allow the seeds to germinate and observe the new plants from the suspected field for signs of herbicide carry-over injury and compare them to the plants from the unaffected field.

Plants with herbicide injury will show signs of chlorosis, in which leaves turn a pale color and eventually become brittle and brown around the edges. As the condition persists, brown spots color the leaves and can ultimately damage the entire crop. If herbicide injury is suspected, it may be necessary to leave the field fallow or plant the same crops in 2013 as were planted in 2012 until the herbicide has adequate time and rainfall to degrade.

The Nation’s Hardest-hit Areas

While you’re almost hard-pressed to find an area of the country not affected by the 2012 drought, there are a number of states that have fared far worse than others. Categorized as “exceptional drought” areas, 14 states stretching from the Deep South to the Midwest have experienced widespread losses of crops and pastures, as well as water shortages in reservoirs, streams, and wells. States situated in exceptional drought areas include: Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

Faring slightly better than these drought-ravaged areas but still reeling from the serious lack of rainfall, eight states, including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, and Utah, experienced extreme drought conditions. Farmers and ranchers in these hard-hit areas are contending with major losses of crops and pastures, as well as widespread water shortages and accompanying water usage restrictions.

The USDA’s Assistance Programs

With such widespread drought affecting millions of acres of farmland across the country, the USDA has earmarked funds and implemented numerous programs to help farmers spur agricultural rebound. In a national news release on Oct. 23, 2012, the USDA announced that more than 1 million acres of farmland and nearly 2,000 agricultural producers took advantage of conservation funding provided by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) specifically set aside for drought-stricken areas.

livestock drought

The more than $27 million in federal assistance was designated to help farmers and ranchers make conservation improvements, spur recovery, and ensure that their lands would be more drought-resistant in future years. “This tremendous response reflects the severity of this year’s drought conditions,” stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The level of producer participations is also a testament to the hard work of USDA and other federal agencies to help farmers and ranchers weather one of the worst droughts in decades.”

This federal aid for drought-stricken states experiencing hardships ranging from the extreme to the exceptional is provided in most part by the NRCS’s Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). These programs fund conservation practices that reduce the impacts of drought and improve soil health and productivity.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Funding from EQIP is available to agricultural landowners who need assistance in planning and implementing conservation practices to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air, and related resources on their land. To qualify, ranchers and farmers must identify a natural resource concern that plagues their property, in this case, drought. With a qualified concern, EQIP helps landowners pinpoint and implement the best conservation measures for their particular needs.

Financial assistance from the program has a maximum term of 10 years and provides payments based on the average cost to implement these conservation practices. In total, compensation cannot exceed $300,000 in a six-year period unless the NRCS has determined that the land and the implementation of conservation practices are of environmental significance. In this case, compensation may be increased to a maximum of $450,000 in the six-year period. Farmers and ranchers enrolled in EQIP’s Organic Initiative may be entitled to additional funding upon review.

To apply for EQIP funding, visit or contact your local NRCS field office or submit an application online at www.nrcs.usda.gov. Under the programs tab, follow the link for financial assistance and scroll down to Environmental Quality Incentives Program. From here, you will find detailed information on the EQIP, as well as details on how to apply for assistance.

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program

Similar to EQIP and its premise to fund conservation-focused agricultural programs, WHIP targets ranchers and farmers who want to develop and improve fish and wildlife habitats on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, rangeland, pasture, and other areas determined by NRCS to be suitable for sustaining fish and wildlife habitats.

All WHIP applicants must identify priorities for enrollment that complement the goals and objectives of the conservation initiatives in their area. These priorities are ranked, and compensation from WHIP is based on these rankings. While payments from the program are not to exceed $50,000 annually, socially disadvantaged, new, and limited resource farmers and ranchers can be eligible for increased payments. This financial assistance generally expires after 10 years, however, some long-term share agreements are available for 15-year or longer terms, based on their necessity and ability to protect and restore essential plant and animal habitats.

To apply for WHIP funding, you may submit an application online at www.nrcs.usda.gov. Under the programs tab, follow the link for financial assistance and scroll down to Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. From here, you will find detailed information on WHIP, as well as a link for the WHIP sign-up form.

Other Programs and Assistance

In addition to federally funded programs that allow farmers and ranchers to initiate new conservation protocols that will prepare their lands for future drought, the USDA also provides assistance through emergency loans and insurance. Farm loans are low-interest loans that allow farmers to make necessary repairs to their structures as well as purchase everything from additional farmland to feed, fuel, and livestock. Crop insurance protects farmers against production loss due to natural disasters.

Providing myriad programs and services to farmers and ranchers to help protect their interests from drought-induced disasters, the USDA is ensuring the continued health and stability of national farming communities. All of the USDA’s emergency programs can be found at www.usda.gov under the topics tab. Scroll down to Emergency Preparedness and Response for a full listing of drought-related emergency resources.