News

Yields better than expected

An ag economist says losses from this spring’s flooding are much less than originally anticipated.  Purdue’s Chris Hurt says this summer he had estimated flooding losses of Indiana corn and soybeans could reach $500 million but now actual losses appear to be around $200 million.  “Back in July we were saying about $300 million to corn and $200 million on soybeans,” he says.  “USDA now says if you look at the whole state of Indiana – we’re about normal yields on soybeans or even a touch higher.”

He says losses are concentrated to specific areas and yields in the southern part of the state are projected 5 to 10 percent above normal however yields are projected 5 to 10 percent lower in the northeast, northwest, and east-central regions of the state.

Hurt tells Brownfield the losses to the corn crop also vary by region.  “Our most damaged areas for corn were the northwest part of the state, the west central, and the east central,” he says.  “There we had yields that were off from 25 to 35 bushels and really saw reduction of yields that were 10 to 20 percent below normal.”

While the losses statewide aren’t as bad as originally thought – Hurt says several individual farm families have suffered devastating losses.