By Tracy Turner
From brittle, brown lawns and cracked soils to dry ponds and crops, the signs are clear: A large portion of Ohio is again officially in a drought.
Parts of central, southeast and southern Ohio are grappling with drought conditions that are wreaking havoc on local agriculture. The recent stretch of hot temperatures combined with scant rainfall has resulted in at least 63% of the state considered abnormally dry or worse, including 24% considered severe drought and 12% in extreme drought, according to the Aug. 22 update from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
This prolonged dry spell has left pastures parched and forage availability critically low, forcing some farmers to confront a dire shortage of hay, said Garth Ruff, an Ohio State University Extension field specialist in beef cattle and livestock marketing.
“Farmers are facing mounting challenges as they struggle to sustain their livestock,” Ruff said. “In areas where ponds, creeks or springs have dried up, farmers are now hauling water daily, adding both cost and labor to their already strained operations.”
Amid growing concern among farmers and producers statewide about what drought can mean for their crops and livestock, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has activated its Drought Rapid Response Team, which convenes weekly to monitor conditions and provide farmers, producers, gardeners, turfgrass managers and others with information on how to manage a drought.
“Despite heavy rainfall across western and parts of northeastern Ohio, southern and southeastern counties have largely missed the most beneficial rains over the last 90 days,” said Aaron Wilson, state climatologist of Ohio and OSU Extension’s field specialist in agriculture weather and climate. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of CFAES.
“Combined with periods of hot temperatures, the soil has lost a tremendous amount of water due to evaporation, which has affected pasture conditions; lowered creeks, ponds and private wells; and impacted grain fill across this portion of the state.”
The team updates its Drought Conditions and Resources webpage to provide resources for Ohio’s farmers, said Chris Zoller, OSU Extension interim assistant director, agriculture and natural resources.
“The Drought Rapid Response Team is part of fulfilling CFAES’ and OSU Extension’s land-grant mission through mobilizing people and resources to address issues of concern to crop and livestock producers in Ohio that are impacted by the drought,” Zoller said. “We’re here to serve Ohio by providing the best research-based information they need to make informed decisions as they deal with drought considerations.
“We’re also coordinating and collaborating with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, as well as providing state and federal elected officials up-to-date information on what we’re finding and recommending.”
The drought webpage also provides links to numerous CFAES resources and newsletters, including information specific to agronomic crops, dairy, farm management, fruits, livestock, poultry, vegetables, wine grapes and turfgrass.
As it stands now, 43% of Ohio corn crop conditions are considered fair to very poor, while 44% of Ohio soybean crop conditions are considered fair to very poor, according to the Aug. 19 crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Ohio Field Office. And more than half – 66% – of pastures and ranges are considered fair to very poor, the report said.
As drought conditions persist, livestock producers are facing critical challenges in managing their herds. Jason Hartschuh, an OSU Extension field specialist in dairy management and precision livestock, said some farmers are concerned about forage availability and potential toxicity issues affecting cattle.
“When crops like corn and sorghum experience drought conditions, nitrates can accumulate in the plant,” Hartschuh said. “Due to drought stress hindering active growth, plants fail to utilize these nitrates for protein synthesis, leading to potentially toxic levels.”
Many grain crop farmers are also feeling the heat.
“Drought stress during grain-fill in corn and soybean means shortened grain-fill periods,” said Stephanie Karhoff, OSU Extension field specialist in agronomic systems. “This leads to lower seed weights and yields, as well as premature maturity. Drought-stressed corn might also suffer from increased lodging issues.”
Karhoff suggested that farmers consider planting overwintering cover crops such as cereal rye after fall harvest to retain this nitrogen. However, she cautioned that continued dry conditions might render this strategy unfeasible if soil moisture remains insufficient for cover crop establishment.
And some vegetable and specialty crop farmers have also been negatively impacted, said Logan Minter, OSU Extension field specialist in specialty crop production systems. The hot and dry conditions this summer, following a mild winter, compounded issues in many vegetable and specialty crops with increased insect pest pressure, he said.
Source : osu.edu