CROPS EXPERT: DROUGHT COULD BE 'BIG DEAL'
Monday, July 24th, 2006 -- 9:42 AM
Skies were again threatening, but only a little rain fell last Wednesday and Thursday. The National Weather Service in La Crosse reports some areas in the southern portion of our listening area received almost an inch of rain, but most received only a few-hundredths of an inch.?Right now, we?ll take anything we can get,? says UW-Extension Crops and Soils agent Nick Schneider. ?We're getting into the corn pollination season ? I see a lot of fields that are getting their tassels.?
The Northern part of Clark County may be approaching ?severe? drought conditions; which could have a big impact on a farmer?s bottom line.
?We look at the silking, we are looking at anywhere from six- to eight-percent yield loss if we have severe drought stress. That?s a big deal,? Schneider says.
Reports indicate our area is around 4-inches off our average rain totals for the year.
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