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Southwest Nebraska farmer says soil conditions have rapidly deteriorated

A southwest Nebraska farmer says drought conditions are intensifying quickly, and relief isn’t expected any time soon.

Jan TenBensel raises corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat near McCook and says ongoing dryness is impacting crop emergence. “We’re watering the corn up on the pivot making sure that it gets a good uniform start. Once we get the corn up and going, we’ll be ok for a little while for irrigation, but the dry land is really going to be a struggle here.”

He tells Brownfield he’s still planting some corn into moisture, but, “I think it will be our last week that we’re able to actually get down in the moisture. After this, we’re going to pull the planters up and start planting in the dust.”

TenBensel says he’s planted about 60 percent of his corn crop and more than 70 percent of sorghum. He says soybean planting will get underway in a few weeks.