Rain Across South Carolina Causes Mixed Reactions for Area Farmers
Rain in South Carolina is boosting corn crops, yet hampering others
According to a Daily Journal article, rain across South Carolina is causing mixed reactions for area farmers. While the rainfall is reportedly beneficial to corn crops, agriculture and weather officials report in the article that it is also hampering other crop harvests.
Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Aaron Wood claims, according to farmers, “corn is [doing] the best this year, and the rain is coming at just the right time” to produce strong yields. Barnwell County farmer Jeff Sandifer concurs; he reports the six to eight inches of rain since last week are coming at the “perfect time” for his 200 acres of corn, which need the rain in the weeks prior to harvesting.
However, Sandifer also reports the recent rainfall makes it difficult to apply pesticides to his primary crop, cotton, in order to fend off disease. Wood claims the wet weather may also affect small grain harvests, such as wheat, oats, and rye. “Since it’s been wet the last few days,” Wood says, “those [crops] that weren’t taken in probably will have to be left in the field.”
Across the country, wet weather has affected crops this spring and early summer. While recent rainfall in South Carolina has been beneficial to certain crops, it has brought with it negative ramifications for others.