Farmers Cooperative talks drought, impact of recent rain

PLYMOUTH, Neb. - It has been problematic from east to west and north to south, as all 93 Nebraska counties have been in some form of drought to start the summer.

Last week, several Southeast Nebraska counties were added to the “exceptional drought” category, leaving area farmers praying for rain. Over the weekend, that rain did come, but was it enough and did it come in the right form? Gary Lytle, Location Manager of the Plymouth Framers Cooperative, explains.

“Last year, you had a pretty good build up in soil profile, but this year, you don’t have that soil profile, there just isn’t that water going into the ground,” Lytle said. “If you don’t have that soil profile, you’re really dependent on that rain keeping that soil alive.”

Often times, farmers may not want heavy doses of rain that come up in a short time, rather hoping for constant, consistent showers. This past weekend, several areas of Southeast Nebraska saw several inches of rain in just a matter of hours. Lytle says, the drought this year has been so severe, that they’ll take rain in any form, as long as it doesn’t include hail.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say, whether it’s a hard quick rain or any type of rain, everyone’s on board with rain, anyway it comes,” Lytle said. “Long as it doesn’t come as a hard type with hail.”

Hail can lead to damage to farm equipment and damage or loss to crops. Lytle also says the ideal form of rain, would be wide ranging set of showers covering several areas of the region.

As for what farmers can do to combat the drought, Lytle says it’s as simple as being in the good graces, of Mother Nature.

“There’s not a whole lot that can be done,” Lytle said. “It’s more or less in Mother Nature’s hands. We are fortunate, in this neck of the woods, that we do have our fair share of irrigation resources, but you’re depending on that rain to come to help make that crop.”