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Intense crop damage from hail in Iowa
Hail last Friday caused unprecedented damage to crops in northeast Iowa – from Howard to Dubuque counties – and producers are figuring out what to do next. Iowa State University Extension agronomist Brian Lang tells Brownfield that 400-thousand crop acres were hurt, 10 percent of which have been decimated. Corn in the area was in the tasseling stage, the absolute worst time, Lang says, to be hit by hail, “So, even these other areas that had less hail, if they’re still looking at something like 75 percent defoliation – which is very possible over a large area of this damage – that easily cuts the yield by as much as two-thirds.”Lang says the affected area has a lot of livestock and farmers can green chop some of the corn while figuring out other feed options. “If we can get a little off of that… We’ve still got time in August, here, for maybe a planting of a small grain like oats,” says Lang.
Lang says at least half of their feed is gone because of the storm, “There’s areas where it looks like barren lands that are ready for some spring planting – is kind of what it looks like in some of these places.”
Lang thought he’d seen the worst hail damage in the area last month when hail struck 100-thousand crop acres in Howard and Chickasaw County. But, last week’s hail storm is, by far, the worst he’s seen with Fayette County having the most acreage hit, where they’re considering seeking government disaster aid. Lang advises producers not to touch anything until their crop insurance agents and hail adjustors have done their work.
The same storm system caused crop damage to about 20,000 acres in southwestern Wisconsin.
Interview conducted by Ken Anderson, Waitt Agribusiness
Iowa State University Extension – Crop Notes by Brian Lang – hail damage
AUDIO: Brian Lang, Iowa State University agronomist for northeast Iowa (6 min., MP3)
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