Heavy rainfall in May could cause problems for Ohio farmers this season.
This year, Ohio has experienced the warmest April in the state's history, where temperatures averaged between 60–65°F. May has been categorized as having heavy rain.
John Glenn Columbus International Airport recorded 2.12 inches of rain on Thursday after a flash flood warning was issued for much of Franklin County and parts of southwest Licking County and northwest Fairfield County.
“May is a crucial point for our farmers to put crops in the ground and get them up and going,” said Jordon Hoewischer, director of water quality and research at the Ohio Farm Bureau. “Anytime we have, you know, 8 or 10 inches of rain in a month period, and especially, you know five, six, seven inches in a few-day period. That really causes issues for our farmers.”
Hoewischer explained crop roots spread less in waterlogged soil, so come summer, root systems are unable to absorb enough water to prevent drought vulnerability. While the future weather may be too volatile to completely know, farmers may expect to replant, pay more in fuel and have a shorter window for crops to mature, Hoewischer said.
Some farmers may opt to switch from high-risk crops, like corn, to shorter lifespan crops, such as soybeans, to ensure a positive yield due to increased rainfall. However, the time frame for crop changes may be rapidly approaching.
“Replanting's not, you know, a shock to the system for our farmers. They do it in patches here and there. They're used to it…there's still time. Not a huge window, but there's still time for them to get out and do what they need to do, but certainly, that window is closing on them to put a crop out in some of these fields,” Hoewischer said.
