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SW Nebraska farmer hopes drought stays away

Southwest Nebraska farmer Jan tenBensel says, except for a couple of rain delays, the planting season has gone pretty well.

When Brownfield spoke with tenBensel on Tuesday, he said they had all of their corn planted “and we’re just wrapping up on beans, as we speak.”

tenBensel says severe drought conditions in western Kansas and eastern Colorado have been creeping northward, which is a bit of a concern.

“I’m afraid the Drought Monitor is sneaking up on us. But if we can maintain these rains throughout the growing season, we’ll be in great shape.”

The majority of tenBensel’s land is dryland, or non-irrigated.  About 25 percent is under irrigation.