Dunklin County farmers behind schedule due to wet conditions

Spring rainfall has caused fields in Dunklin County to remain wet, which has presented problems for local farmers. Area farmers have been unable to get into fields and work, and heavy rain has caused several to lose crops, forcing them to replant. Staff photo by Joshua Payne [Click to enlarge]

Due to the amount of rain during the spring months, Dunklin County farmers are behind schedule according to maturity dates.

Lonnie Gibson, Jr., of Arbyrd, Mo., farms land in Dunklin County and said that the amount of rain has adversely affected farmers financially and mentally.

Several farmers have planted cotton, only to have it drowned out by the rain, and then replanted the cotton, but had it drowned out a second time, according to Gibson. Now farmers are spot planting cotton and some have moved on to planting beans.

Gibson noted that the problem is there is no guide to look at and find answers on what do in this situation.

"This has caused many farmers to plant a variety of crops that we are not used to planting in this area," Gibson said. "Now we have gotten this rain on Thursday and Friday and the temperature has gotten cooler."

He noted that he received messages from farmers in Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas who have had to plow up thousands of acres of cotton and plant beans in the area.

Another problem is the rampant attack of insects and pests, according to Gibson.

"We can't get in the field and spray because of the rain, and the flying sprayer doesn't get everything," Gibson said.

He added that on Thursday he had one sprayer and two tractors stuck in fields and had to have an excavator to move them out.

Also, the electric company has not been able to restore electric to the farms following the recent January ice storm. Gibson noted that the wells couldn't be hooked up because of the high level of seep water.

"I have never seen anything like it," Gibson said. "Through the years, I have heard a lot of ridicule of farming, but I love farming. It's all in God's hands now cause none of us can change the weather."

Daniel Jackson, of Senath, Mo., also farms land in Dunklin County and said that the amount of rain has caused the farmers to be a couple of weeks behind trying to plant crops.

Seep water around ditches and rivers are keeping the ground saturated and keeping farmers from being able to get into their fields, Jackson noted. When the ground stays saturated after you have planted cotton the seed will stay wet and eventually rot.

"We have had to replant a spot the size of a house three time and lost the crop every time due to the rain," Jackson said. "The rain has caused people to lose a lot of acres."

The rain continuing and causing everything to be late means that farmers will be picking cotton later in the year up into November and possible even early December, Jackson noted.