Ohio State continues to assist farmers as drought and rain create unprecedented challenges for soybean crops

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The recent combination of drought conditions and a deluge of heavy rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene has left many Ohio soybean farmers grappling with compromised crop quality and uncertain futures.

Severe drought has weakened soybean pods throughout the state, and the subsequent rain has led to an even more challenging situation-seed sprouting within compromised pods, a phenomenon rarely seen at such a scale in Ohio's farming history, said Laura Lindsey, field crops expert with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

"Farmers were already concerned about dry soybeans," said Lindsey, a soybean and small grains specialist with Ohio State University Extension, CFAES' outreach arm. "Many were facing pod shattering, where seeds break open and fall to the ground during harvest due to low moisture levels.

"The rainfall made the situation worse. Now, we're seeing seeds sprout out of the pods in affected counties, including Fairfield, Madison, Pickaway, Ross, and Fayette."

Mike Estadt, OSU Extension educator in Pickaway County, shared similar observations from farmers in his area.

"We have preharvest sprouting of soybeans in many fields. When moisture levels dropped below 8%, we were seeing pod shatter," Estadt said. "Now that we have moisture again, the seeds are sprouting inside the pods. Crop insurance doesn't have a clear understanding of how this will be handled at the moment."

Estadt emphasized that the impact on grain quality is particularly concerning.

"This is also a huge negative to grain quality that buyers of soybeans will heavily discount when these beans are delivered to elevators," he said.

According to Lindsey, a significant number of farmers may have postponed harvesting to allow moisture levels to build up after the rainfall. But this decision had unforeseen consequences.

"This is an unusual set of circumstances and the outcome has been fairly devastating," she added. "While some fields were harvested before the rain, many others were not, and now we're seeing sprouting that will undoubtedly impact both yield and quality."

Estadt noted that farmers in Pickaway County quickly adapted their harvesting strategies in response to the initial dry conditions.

"Farmers harvested a lot of soybeans first when they saw the moisture levels dropping," he said. "I would estimate that more than 50-65% of the beans have already been harvested. They didn't delay harvest anticipating rain that would rehydrate, but now they're faced with a situation where they need to consider the impact of the rain on crop quality and how much damage buyers will accept."

The hot temperatures and lack of precipitation over the summer has led to 68% of Ohio being classified under moderate drought, 32% in severe drought, 18% in extreme drought, and 8% in exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor's Oct,3update.

In response to the dire conditions, CFAES activated its Drought Rapid Response Team earlier this summer to monitor crop health, water resources, and weather patterns. The team works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state agencies, and local farmers to develop strategies to mitigate the drought's impact.

Aaron Wilson, state climatologist and field specialist with OSU Extension, said the drought was unprecedented in its duration and severity.

"We saw widespread rainfall across much of Ohio, especially with the remnants of Hurricane Helene," said Wilson. "While this rain helped improve soil moisture, river levels, and pastures in some areas, it was almost too much, too fast in others.

"Counties like Scioto, Pike, Highland, and Fayette saw localized flooding. But in areas like northwest Ohio, we didn't see nearly as much rain, so drought conditions persist."

Despite the rainfall, Wilson cautioned that drought is far from over in many areas, particularly across central and southern Ohio, where conditions had reached extreme and exceptional levels.

"The 90- to 180-day precipitation deficits are still running 4-8 inches below normal, and it will take several weeks of above-average precipitation to fully alleviate drought conditions," he said. "With the forecast indicating a higher probability of below-normal precipitation over the next 1-2 weeks, any improvements to drought conditions will be paused or slowed."

Estadt added that one of the primary concerns among farmers is how to address these quality issues as they prepare for harvest.

"Farmers are worried about how much damage buyers will accept and how crop insurance will handle the loss of quality. Field shatter was already a problem, and this rain just adds to it," he said. "They'll likely harvest any remaining soybeans as soon as possible to lessen the percentage of sprouts."

CFAES is closely monitoring the situation and documenting the damage as it develops. The college has also been providing updated guidance to farmers through its Drought Conditions and Resources webpage, covering topics such as managing forage, irrigation strategies, and soil conservation.

"We're already working on a project funded by the United Soybean Board to study harvest losses and seed quality issues when harvest is delayed," said Lindsey. "Unfortunately, not much can be done now, but this year will serve as an important reference for future extreme weather events."

Reports of lodged corn sprouting on the ground have also surfaced, further complicating the situation for farmers across Ohio.

"Growing season 2024 just keeps on giving," Estadt said.

As Ohio farmers continue to navigate the challenges brought by the drought and unexpected rainfall, CFAES remains committed to supporting the agricultural community through research, resources, and on-the-ground support.

For ongoing updates and resources related to agriculture, visit go.osu.edu/ohiodrought. For more information on drought preparedness and other drought impacts, visit climate.osu.edu/drought.

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