A tractor belonging to Matt Burkholder awaits harvesting duties in his fields Friday morning in Cairo.
LIMA — With most of Ohio going through one of the worst droughts in recent memory, farmers are worrying about lower yields on their crops, pairing with low prices to create high stress levels.
Jim Hoorman, with Hoorman Health Services near Jenera in Hancock County, explained what’s to come for farmers as harvesting season nears.
“I don’t think this will be a great year for yields. A lot of farmers are struggling, and prices are low, so there’s a lot of stress out there right now,” he said.
According to the federal government’s National Integrated Drought Information System, 87.5% of Ohio is battling some form of drought, and 98% of the Buckeye state is abnormally dry for this time of year. Much of the region is in an area of moderate of severe droughts.
Hoorman said even though it rained an inch or two this week, not much could be saved with his soybeans.
“My beans are already dried up, and the leaves are falling off,” he said.
Local farmer Matt Burkholder expressed many of his concerns.
“I feel awful for the areas of the state that are experiencing severe drought right now,” he said.
During the summer, he noticed that corn on other farms was curling up due to the extreme heat, while the corn on his farm wasn’t affected as much. He attributed this to no-tillage and cover crops, which help retain moisture in the soil and promote healthier plant growth. Although his corn curled some, it could’ve been way worse.
Burkholder compared the drought to that of 2012.
“Luckily, it’s not as bad here. It reminds me of 2012, and that was difficult, but it’s not that bad,” Burkholder said.
Hoorman didn’t go without mentioning the rain was much-needed, however.
“We needed it for the trees, grass and cover crops,” he said.
Yield concerns
Hoorman noted what farmers may see in terms of corn production.
“I don’t think anyone is making anything on corn. If you’re not yielding 200 bushels, you’re losing money,” he said.
According to the USDA’s 2023 state agriculture review, soybeans and corn combined for 947.6 billion bushels and $6.5 trillion valued production in 2023.
With the prices of commodities down, Hoorman was fearful and emphasized the mental health and stress being placed on farmers.
“The drought has led to low yields, which lead to low prices. There’s a fair amount of stress out there,” he said.
Hoorman advised that farmers look into crop insurance if necessary for adequate assistance.
According to Burkholder, the average yield for corn is 180 bushels per acre, and 60 bushels per acre for soybeans. In 2012, corn was as low as 80 bushels and soybean was around 35 bushels.
As harvesting season approaches, Burkholder is confident yields will be around average.
Drought data
Nearly the entire state of Ohio is going through one of the worst droughts in recent memory.
An estimated 8.3 million residents are currently experiencing drought conditions.
The data includes four different categories of drought based on severity: D1 for moderate drought, D2 for severe drought, D3 for extreme drought, and D4 for exceptional drought.
Auglaize, Hardin and Putnam, and Auglaize are all in the D2 range, along with 20.5% of the state in the severe drought category.
Allen and Van Wert counties are in D1, along with 28% of the state, as moderate drought counties.
Much of the southern and southeastern portions of the state are in the D3 to D4 ranges, with a record-breaking 9.5% in D4.
Fast-moving change
This is the first time a county in Ohio has been reported at the D4 level of drought on the Drought Monitor since the technology was created in 2000.
The Drought Severity and Coverage Index, or DSCI, is an experimental method for converting drought levels from the U.S. Drought Monitor Map to a single value for an area on a scale from 0-500. It currently sits at 284.
In response to drought conditions, the USDA declared 28 counties a primary natural disaster, with 17 others labeled contiguous for drought conditions, covering 45 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Things moved fast. No county was experiencing drought as early as June 11.
In July, more than two-thirds of the state had begun to experience drought conditions. By the end of July, the number grew to 72%. The DSCI increased from 96 to 126 over this short period.
As August approached, 39% of counties were in the D1 range, and 14% were in the D2 range, the first time counties entered such a range.
Concerns for farmers
All of the ingredients necessary for a lengthy drought began to worry government officials, farm bureau officials and local farmers.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, worked with the USDA, farm agencies, agricultural leaders in the state and local farmers to help connect them with local resources.
“Ohio farmers are resourceful and resilient. I’m working to connect Ohio farmers with resources and make sure they have what they need to weather the worst Ohio drought in 100 years and come out strong,” he said in a news conference call with farmers on Sept. 18.
Brown also called upon USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to provide additional flexibility for Ohio farmers experiencing drought conditions to conduct emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program-enrolled land.
From 2017-2022, five Ohio counties amassed $10 million in CRP rental payments, and all five counties are currently experiencing drought ranges from D2-D4, two of which are in D4.
The Ohio Farm Bureau ensures farmers dealing with unfavorable conditions due to factors out of their control have options to recoup any losses they may have had.
Ty Higgins, senior director of communications and media relations, predicts an agricultural downturn is approaching based on history. He said a modernized farm bill needs to be passed as soon as possible.
“A farm bill helps farmers weather storms beyond their control. There are also safety net programs in the bill to help farmers who are experiencing lower yields,” he said.
A modernized farm bill is necessary due to costs, expenses, and taxes being at record highs, he said.
“According to the latest USDA Net Farm Income Forecast, farm income has dropped by 23% since 2022. The report also indicates that labor costs, interest expenses and property taxes have all reached record levels in terms of dollar value,” he said.
Farmers are receiving the same prices for commodities today that they were in 1974, according to Higgins.
Mental health concerns
Suicide rates in the agriculture business are high, and looking out for one another is key, Burkholder said.
“Most farmers struggle with mental health. Many are up to their eyeballs in debt. Taking time out of the day to call a neighbor and check on them will make them feel cared for,” he said.
Although Burkholder isn’t suffering as much as others, worry still looms for those who are.
A recent, released in mid-September, shows the concern.
Conducted by the Ohio Agricultural Mental Health Alliance, 600 people accessed the survey with 80 counties having at least one respondent.
The most common stressors that caused moderate to severe stress were the cost of farm inputs, market prices for crops and the cost of farmland.
Of the respondents, 23% had negative perceptions of their well-being. Half of the respondents scored as likely to be experiencing loneliness, with nearly one in five stating they felt isolated from others.
Of the respondents, 44% said there was a time in the past 12 months when they felt they needed mental or emotional health care or counseling services, with half stating they did not get the services they needed.
The OAMH pleaded with the public that assistance is always available when needed.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
