Crop Production Report: West Tennessee
WEST JACKSON — So far this Spring and Summer, our weather has run the gamut from drenching rains to severe storms to unseasonable cold and then scorching heat. It’s been a roller coaster for local farmers. Despite the wild swings in our weather, crops are doing very well. According to a new report released by the West Tennessee Agriculture Research and Education Center, most corn crops in West Tennessee are thriving. “…[E]verything is still growing. We had plenty of moisture and that wasn’t too bad. These cool temperatures are really wonderful for the late corn.” Dr. Bob Hayes said, Research Director of the West Tennessee Agriculture Research and Education Center. Most other local cash crops like soybeans and wheat conditions are also doing OK depending on exactly where they’re planted. “Most of our corn is on the hills. The corn that’s in the creek bottoms, river bottoms are the one’s that have suffered from excess moisture early. People got in late. It sort of delayed them.” Dr. Hayes said. Most corn crops are now over producing demand. Cotton, on the other hand, is not producing as quickly as it should due to the now cooler temperatures. “At this point were relatively 7-10 days behind. The field that’s behind me is just now starting to see some flowers. We hope to see flowers by July 4th. So were definitely behind the ball already.” Dr. Tyson Raper, Cotton and Grains Specialist at the West Tennessee Research Agriculture and Education Center, says. With the extremes in temperature and precipitation constantly changing, there is not much farmers can do. “What I would encourage growers to do at this time is manage for earliness,” Dr. Raper said. “There is a number of different things you can do. Encourage the growers to consult the UT Crops News Blog.” Farmers hope the weather pattern will start to level off. They say they’ll take the rain and hope for a continuous trend in good harvest.
