Ohio escaped the drought, but farmers still have a rain problem
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Ohio may be an oasis on the nation's drought map, but Lebanon farmer Steve Lutmer could use a few dry days.
Why it matters: Ohio's unusually wet conditions are creating a different set of challenges for farmers trying to harvest crops and keep livestock pastures healthy.
The big picture: Ohio remains free of both drought and even "abnormally dry" conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor as of Sept. 22.
- Nearly 60% of the Lower 48 is in drought, and 42 states have at least some area experiencing moderate drought or worse.
- This was the wettest August in Ohio on record, with an average of 6.88 inches of precipitation statewide — 3.41 inches above normal.
- Lutmer's area was hit especially hard.
State of play: State agriculture officials warned in August that persistent storms and saturated fields could damage crops, increase the risk of fungal infections and delay harvest.
- Ohio Farm Bureau's Jordan Hoewischer told WOSU that farmers typically welcome late-summer rain, but this year's unusually heavy rainfall has left some uncertain about what they'll face at harvest.
Zoom in: Lutmer, who farms corn, soybeans, wheat and hay, tells Axios his row crops generally look good — but the relentless rain has made harvesting hay especially difficult.
- There's been plenty of rain to grow it, he says, but not enough dry weather to harvest it.
- Some fields that he expected to cut three or four times this year may only get two cuttings.
- Lutmer estimates that could cut his hay revenue by roughly 30%.
Between the lines: The timing of the rain also matters.
- A relatively dry April helped Lutmer get soybeans planted earlier than he normally can.
- His corn and soybeans currently look good, including crops planted later in the season.
- Now he worries continued wet weather approaching harvest could leave soybeans vulnerable to white mold and other damage.
All that rain is creating trouble for his cattle, too.
- Lutmer says pastures that would normally be relatively dry this time of year are muddy. As cattle repeatedly walk across saturated ground, they damage the grass and can leave areas that eventually need to be reseeded.
- He estimates 30–40% of his pasture could require renovation because of the wet conditions.
The bottom line: Being drought-free doesn't necessarily mean conditions are perfect for agriculture.
- "It's definitely a balance," Lutmer says.