Impact of Weather Patterns is Worrisome

Weather patterns in much of the United States this month forced growers to park their tractors and consider alternative crops.

Tropical Storm Bill soaked—even flooded—farmland in sections of the Midwest, but in the days since the storm, it is difficult to assess its cost.

State-by-state reports suggest soybean planting is most significantly behind schedule in Kansas and Missouri. In Ohio, where corn was under water, the USDA is describing its condition as “favorable for disease.”

Numbers released by the USDA on Monday show a slight decline in the condition of corn and soybeans, but the overall planting-and-growing season is statistically similar to the average of seasons since 2010.

Still, the deluge over much of the country, combined with uncertainty over Mother Nature’s next move, has caused unease in the industry.

The good news: This latest wet weather pattern brought relief from drought conditions in Texas and Oklahoma.

The bad news: California and Nevada continue to suffer from a lack of water. California remains in desperate shape with 70% of the state classified as facing extreme or exceptional drought. S