It is only mid-June, but already drought conditions have hit McLennan County, where rainfall totals stand 8 inches below average.
McLennan County received 20.4 inches of rain through June 14 last year, a foot more than the 8.4 inches recorded in the same period this year, according to the weather service.
Corn farmers will be doing well to produce a quarter of the corn per acre they were able to produce last year, said Jimmy Westerfeld, who has been a farmer in Central Texas for 44 years.
And if not for crop insurance, there could be a lot of broke farmers.” Last year, almost ideal conditions produced corn yields ranging from 120 to 130 bushels per acre, he said.
Much of the state is suffering from hot and dry conditions extreme even for Texas.
This dry south wind is drying everything up.
Not really going to affect price because Midwest produces more of the corn, and they are having a decent year.
Cotton and grain sorghum are also suffering.
“This will put farmers in the middle, though the issue really has nothing to do with agricultural products.
That often is where the penalty is paid.” Sanderson Farms Chief Financial Officer Mike Cockrell said weather conditions in Texas could affect what the Mississippi-based poultry giant pays for feed.