This summer's drought is affecting farmers across the state but the executive director of the USDA's Farm Service Agency in Door and Kewaunee Counties says the Door Peninsula has been like the "garden spot" of Wisconsin. Tim Siehr says even though we were dry for periods the crops have held up pretty well, especially corn and soybeans...
"When you look at where the rainfall has fallen, even though it could have been more timely, the fact that we were able to get rain when we most critically needed it and keep that crop moving along, we've been fortunate," says Siehr.
Siehr says the wheat crop has been exceptional.
"We're seeing a lot of yields over a hundred bushel per acre," says Siehr. "That's better than average for Door County even though we typically grow pretty good wheat up here. Test weights are good, we're seeing good prices on wheat, so I think farmers that grew wheat are making some money this year."
This year's cherry crop, as many know, was a different story. Siehr says they've requested a secretarial designation of disaster for Door and Kewaunee Counties and expect to receive a decision soon. He says that will allow farmers in both counties to apply for low-interest emergency loans.
Siehr says that designation may also come into play with a new farm bill that may get passed yet this year with future disaster programs like tree assistance programs for orchard growers to compensate them for the replacement of trees in orchard blocks that may have been damaged.
