Optimism turns to stress for farmers

HILLSBORO - Lawrence County farmer Brian Glenn began 2007 with high hopes of growing a banner corn crop on his family's farm.

With corn prices on the rise, the timing appeared perfect for that special crop, especially for farmers such as Glenn who were able to plant their corn in late winter.

By doing so, they would be able to harvest their crop and send it to market before fields in the Midwest were harvested and prices declined.

But the optimism quickly turned into the stress of dealing with elements out of his control.

The bright outlook for the Tennessee Valley corn crop began to sour in April when a late freeze caused heavy damage to many fields. Numerous farmers had to replant, which derailed any plans to beat the Corn Belt farmers to the market. Then, one of the hottest and driest summers on record parched many cornfields in the South - killing many crops.

For Glenn and most north Alabama farmers, it turned into one of the worst years ever for growing corn.

"Our best field this year was probably worse than our worst one last year," Glenn said. "We averaged (harvesting) less than 50 bushels of corn per acre over our 630 acres. That's really bad. I can't remember us ever having a yield that low."

Most farmers around northwest Alabama strive to harvest around 100 bushels per acre from their cornfields each year. A bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds.

Heath Potter, a Moulton-based regional agent for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, said farmers throughout the Tennessee Valley share Glenn's pain.

"Almost everyone I talk to about corn is talking doom and gloom," Potter said. "There's a few isolated pockets where people got rain that made a good corn crop. I've talked to some people who are getting 120 bushels per acre. I've talked to others who are getting only 20 bushels.

"Overall, though, it was a terrible year for corn."

Tim Reed, extension system coordinator for Franklin County, said the July rain helped some corn farmers.

"We got rain July 17, 18, 19. In some places, it totaled more than five inches over those three days," Reed said. "I suspect that rain is what saved a lot of the corn crop. The ones that missed are really hurting."

He said one Franklin cornfield that received good rainfall in July had a yield of 90 bushels per acre.

Randall Armstrong, extension system coordinator for Lauderdale County, said some cornfields are producing more corn than expected.

"Some of the farmers I've talked to are pleasantly surprised by their yield," Armstrong said. "Some are picking 50 to 60 bushels per acre. Some are getting 70 bushels. That more than everybody was expecting."

Reed said one bright spot for corn farmers is that prices have remained above $3 per bushel.

"Last year, we were selling corn for less than $2.50 per bushel," Reed said. "Any corn the farmers make this year is going to be sold for the best price they've received in years."

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com.