By Staci DaSilva
sdasilva@kcautv.com
The U.S. Drought Monitor's most recent map shows southeast South Dakota as an area of exceptional drought, which is the highest level of drought.
So, just because harvest season is over, that doesn't mean farmers have stopped worrying about the ongoing drought. In fact, rain in fall is critical for the next summer's success. The problem is, farmers aren't getting any.
Reid Jensen bought brand new equipment this summer to make storing his harvest easier. But thanks to no rain and oppressive heat for months, he didn't get to use his new purchase.
What little corn he did harvest, went straight to ethanol plants. And that's year 3 in a row of less than preferable crop yields.
"We had below average yields in 2010 and 2011 because it was too wet," said Reid Jensen.
Jensen was hoping for some of that moisture this fall, and preferably in the form of rain, as he says snow just doesn't quite trickle down into the ground as far. But because sufficient rain didn't fall this year, there is hope.
"The ground is dry enough that it's not going to freeze, so if we do get snow, it's going to go in the ground," said Jensen.
So any precipitation at all is critical. Without it, Jensen fears the whole system could be out of whack.
"We got all these demand bases that we've built in agriculture, we've got ethanol, we have our livestock industry and if we don't have the corn supply, what are we going to do to supply all that?" asked Jensen.
And with little hope for much precipitation before the winter, Jensen says many farmers in his area are applying for irrigation permits, 50 in Clay County alone. But not Jensen, he's sticking to his traditions.
"If you're going to prepare for disaster, that's what you're going to get. So you better still be doing good stewardship, doing the best you can to prepare and plan for having a good harvest," said Jensen.
And maybe, just maybe, he'll get to take a crack at his new equipment in a future, and hopefully much wetter harvest season.
