Nebraska farmers forced into early harvest after drought and heat

Lincoln, Neb. (KLKN) – An ongoing drought in Nebraska has put corn crops as risk, and the recent heat wave in August was especially detrimental.

This combined affects are forcing many farmers into an early harvest.

“Most of the issues this year were the drought, the heat was the last straw,” said University of Nebraska extension agriculture meteorologist Eric Hunt.

The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture crop report rated 53% of the nation’s crop ‘good to excellent,’ down five points in two weeks.

A long-term drought in the state has starved crops of moisture.

“We still have a lot of hydrologic issues, and we still have some pretty significant deficits going back one or two years,” Hunt said.

The August heat caused corn to reach maturity much faster, resulting in some yield loss and poor-quality yield.

Hunt said the heat may also cause other problems for crops.

“If nothing else, it can help promote diseases, other things like that, so you don’t want the heat at any time, but its even worse if you don’t have the moisture,” he said.

This is resulting in farmers harvesting in early September, instead of later in the fall.