Farmers Face Crop Concerns After Severe Weather

Flooding and storms are causing concern for some Oklahoma farmers.

Repeated precipitation and hail damage can lower the value of wheat.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture predicts a possibility for 15 to 20% loss of wheat crop.

At his wheat farm in Canadian County, Michael Peters said he is praying for sunshine,

“My ideal situation would be some nice 90 to 95 degree days with a slight breeze,” Peters said.

However, days of rain are in the forecast next week, and Peter's wheat has already taken a beating from hail and flooding this month.

“If you have any low-lying wheat fields there's a lot of areas that just basically drowned out,” Peters said.

Peters isn't the only one with this problem. His neighbors also have a mix of healthy lush wheat and sparse, nearly worthless crop that's been pounded with precipitation.

According to Peters, most wheat in the area needs to be harvested within the next six to ten days.

“For the whole economy to work there's got to be some profit made out here on the ag side,” Peters said.

It's not just wheat facing issues. Cody Yount with the OSU-OKC Farmers market said he's hearing concerns from all kinds of local farmers.

“Poultry in particular have been very susceptible especially pastured poultry, but pretty much everything in open fields right now,” Yount said.

All is not lost according to Yount, who describes Oklahoma farmers as ‘resilient.’ Should the chance for rain go down, the wheat could be resilient as well.

“I haven't given up on this yet. There is definitely some potential,” Peters said.