Wet Weather Poses Problems For South Louisiana Farmers

Louisiana farmers just can't seem to catch a break from Mother Nature. One year we're all dusty and dry. The next year the faucet just won't turn off. This has been one of those faucet years for sure. The recent heavy rains of the past few weeks is certainly making it difficult for Louisiana's agri-business community. Particularly those who grow rice and soybeans.

The wetter than usual weather has made planting of soybeans very difficult during this planting season. Barrett Courville is an extension agent with the LSU AgCenter. He says this planting season has been particularly trick for farmers to get a handle on.

Any time in between that has just been rain, after rain, after rain. Soybeans are not a crop that can handle water or wet conditions very well. It's just been a struggle with soybeans.

So, the wet weather makes it hard for bean farmers but rice farmers have got to be loving the wet weather since their crop thrives in a wet environment right? Well that's wrong but for a different reason. Courville explained to the Louisiana Radio Network that reason is disease.

We're seeing blast, blast is really the major disease that we really don't want to see. We haven't seen a blast here since probably 2012.

Is there anything farmers can do? Well we always recommend going to the experts. The AgCenter at LSU is a great knowledge base for farmers and producers of all kinds. In fact the Annual Rice Station Field Day is set for July 1 in Crowley. That's a great way to get answers. If you need to know now you can get the ball rolling just by  making a call to your parish extension agent or by getting in touch with the AgCenter in Baton Rouge.