Summertime drought follows winter floods

Two months after the deadline to apply for federal assistance due to last winter’s floods, area farmers now are eligible for low-interest emergency loans because of a deepening drought.

May 9 was the last day area farmers could apply for assistance through the Emergency Conservation Program due to flooding that damaged farmland beginning Dec. 21-31, 2015.

On July 9, 2016, those same farmers were informed they could qualify for loans to help them keep their farms.

“I’m telling people the bad thing about this drought is that it came early,” said Todd Hice, director of the Walker-ChattoogaDade-Catoosa County Farm Service Agency office in LaFayette. “We begged for the winter rains to quit and it did — but sooner than normal — it is still early.”

Hice said local farmers are seeking assistance, primarily for their livestock.

“The drought designation for our counties means they now qualify for livestock relief programs,” he said. “This will help those with cattle that rely on grazing for the majority of their feed.

“Pastures are gone. A lot of people are culling their herds and we’re hearing reports of total herd liquidation.”

As the drought worsens, Bill Loughridge said he has “not done it yet” but is seriously considering taking all his cattle, including cows and their calves, to the stockyard.

“If it doesn’t start raining soon, all of us in the ag business will have to change,” Loughridge said Thursday, July 14, as a fastmoving storm swept across LaFayette.

But the storm, like so many in recent weeks was mostly wind without enough rain to settle the dust.

The third-generation farmer said he had a “real good” first cutting of hay in the spring, but he doubted there will be a second harvest much less a third.

“I’ve already been feeding hay for 30 days,” he said. “I’m out of pasture and with no more hay coming in this summer I won’t have any winter feed.”

Loughridge said his son Josh, who carries on the family tradition of farming, is having “a disaster” in his fields: there is no corn crop to speak of and, unless it rains soon, the soybean harvest will be another disappointment.

“The April showers that bring May flowers didn’t happen,” Loughridge said.

Hice said fields so dry the ground is cracking open are more common north of Chattooga County, with some, like Loughridge, saying they have had perhaps 0.6 inches of rain since May.

“In this part of the country, you’re always two weeks away from a drought in the summertime,” he said. “And the drought is worsening.”