Farmers hope for sun

This is how local agronomist, Paul Parker, summed up the situation farmers are facing after enduring the district’s wettest September in 130 years.

September’s 216mm of rain has resulted in excessive, wet soils which has slowed growth, delayed spraying operations, limited access to paddocks and in some cases completely wiped out crops.

“At this stage our wheat should be coming into head and looking good, but at the moment things are a bit yellow from the excessive, wet conditions,” Paul said.

“It’s slowed growth down but the biggest impact is the potential of nitrogen induced deficiency because of the wet soils which will impact on crop growth and the yield potential in crops.

“All round it’s disappointing that things were looking so good early on and no with this continual rain it’s taken the shine off everything.”

Paul said the hardest hit areas were on the Western side of Young where damage has proven worse on heavy soils around Bribbaree. 

“There’s been reports areas of crops have died because of the continued long spell of waterlogging,” he said.

Farmers are now relying on month of sunshine to dry out paddocks and prompt growth, although regardless, Paul said early yield potential is not going to be achieved.

“It will give farmers the opportunity to get around, do some weed control, spread some late nitrogen to improve protein levels of wheat grain and hopefully enable them to get back to a reasonable harvest,” he said.

“All they can do is monitor and make the most of opportunities.

“Certainly if the opportunity to improve protein levels comes about by topdressing of nitrogen, that’s likely to be worthwhile this year, but farmers need to consider the cost of that against the benefit.”

Paul said the consequences of the situation will carry through as it brings with it a reduced opportunity to make hay or silage, which farmers will be relying on to get stored fodder for livestock come the next dry spell.