Not even veteran farmers can remember a spring freeze event quick like the one experienced earlier this month. By now we are well aware that the 2007 wheat crop, which was looking more promising than it had in years, was significantly damaged by two long nights of freezing temperatures around Easter. Producers are only beginning to find out how significant the damage actually is.
One thing was clear from the two informational meetings we attended last week: the best course of action for farmers to take in response to this setback is profoundly unclear. It?s possible that some fields may produce an average crop if the weather behaves itself from now until harvest.
Possible… some… may… if. Not exactly words to build a livelihood on, but they characterize the precarious uncertainty in which our farmers find themselves these days. The decision-making process is complicated and the stakes are high.
These are challenging times. ?DR
