Coping with drought: Dry crops during early harvest

A late-summer drought across much of the Midwest certainly altered the landscape. I am sitting at my dining room table, looking out the window as I pen this column. The cows are moving slowly, single file as they often do, coming from a pasture to get a drink from the automatic waterers near the barn and corral.

Earlier in the year, there was water in the branches running through our pastures. On this day, there is a cloud of dust created by their movement. The earth is thirsty.

What was lush green earlier this year has turned to muted browns and yellows. We know these colors all too well, having suffered drought on our farm in both 2022 and 2023.

Friends in southwest Missouri have already started feeding hay because there is no grass growing in their pastures.

The feelings of anxiety and uncertainty remain near the surface, as a hot and dry breeze reminds us all too well how little control we have when it comes to weather.

Although rain is not going to have much of an impact on row crops at this point in the season, weather can still be a critical factor for commodity markets.

The lower the water levels in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the harder it is to ship grain effectively, driving up the price and potentially taking away price competitiveness.

Levels in the Mississippi River system have been better overall this year than they were the last two years, but steadily declined the final few weeks of summer.

Anyone who lives near or travels near one of these rivers has seen the stark contrast from May levels to late summer levels.

With harvest well underway across the heartland, there is a lot of talk about how to best market grain as commodity prices remain lower.

The chief commodities economist with StoneX Group told Brownfield Ag News that farmers should consider a defensive approach.

Arlan Suderman said “it’s not necessarily how much we can make, but what can we do to defend the equity we’ve built in our farms in recent years, being ready to accept those prices, even if we don’t like them.”

Suderman said strategies to re-own commodities might be something for farmers to consider, in case there’s unexpected strength in demand. He also said to take advantage of good basis opportunities.

“That is one of my concerns here over the next 60 days,” he said. “What happens with the basis when these big crops all come to town at one time?”

Suderman said local elevators will move commodities as fast as possible, but there could be some backups for some along the Mississippi River due to lower water levels.

On the brighter side, there is rain in the forecast — and this time it sounds like the meteorologists are doing more than teasing us.

Weather forecasters are also predicting more fall-like temperatures as we move into fall. Farmers who have been harvesting like crazy can use a break as can our thirsty planet.