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Weather overrides COVID-19 as biggest influence on successful 2020 crops

Midwest farmers say while COVID-19 has caused some minor disruptions, weather is still the outlying factor for the 2020 growing season.  

Northwest Iowa farmer Brian Kemp says, “The biggest influence on me having a successful crop is not different this year than any other year; it’s the weather.”

During a virtual summit Wednesday hosted by the US Soybean Export Council, Kemp said soil moisture conditions are good in his area, but planting won’t begin for another week to ten days.

Minnesota farmer Joel Schreurs says they are about a month out from planting soybeans and are hoping for better weather this year after claiming prevent plant on half of their acres in 2019.

“COVID-19 is very stressful especially coming into this planting season, but one way or another we will plant. Whatever Mother Nature let’s us have, that’s what we’ll end up with.”

Southeast Illinois farmer Doug Winter says weather in his area is already looking more favorable and he is looking forward to an earlier start than in 2019.