Although many parts of the Carolinas received rain the past couple of
days, this doesn't erase the crop damages and losses that farmers in South Carolina
incurred from drought during the summer growing season. In early
September,
The State newspaper reports that 35 South Carolina counties
have been declared as natural disaster areas by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) due to drought, making these areas eligible for
disaster relief funds. Many farmers have crop insurance that they purchase
for protection for unanticipated losses and damages from disasters, but
the drought disaster declaration also makes them eligible to apply for
low-interest loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency if they need more
assistance. Additionally, counties next to those where drought
disaster declarations have been made also qualify for assistance, making
counties in North Carolina and Georgia also eligible for aid.
According to a Clemson University media release, crops that experienced damage
include corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and peanuts, which mostly
occurred due to the extremely high temperatures and isolated rainfall
events this summer. Clemson extension specialists also warn that despite
forecasts of more rainfall during the winter and spring due to El Niño, which will potentially alleviate the drought, farmers might now be at risk of additional losses due to the excessive rainfall.
The USDA provides relief to farmers, but many of us also have backyard gardens where we grow our own produce and plants that suffered as well. Some of our observers report plant stress by describing how much they irrigate their plants or whether the plants have been wilting or producing fruit later in their condition monitoring reports. As the weather changes this fall, please continue to describe the condition of your plants in your observations, which helps decision makers, such as the state drought management committees, monitor whether plants have been recovering or remain stressed from dry conditions.
Devastated corn crops in South Carolina.
Image Credit: David DeWitt / Clemson University
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