Arkansas Produce Farmers Struggle to Keep Prices Low amid Drought
By: CNN
Updated: July 18, 2012
More than half the nation is experiencing drought conditions and farmers are dealing with the worst of it.
In Arkansas, 69 of the state's 75 counties have been declared disasters, leaving people wondering if they'll be left high and dry at grocery stores.
"Water is definitely the one resource that we need, everyday. We're still at a deficit right now," says Crittenden County Extension Agent Bryan Stobaugh.
Stobaugh knows Arkansas crops are suffering. Farmers planted 20 to 30 days earlier this season with hopes of record yields. but any rainfall has been of little benefit as a record drought strangles area cash crops.
"We saw significant amounts of water just being taken from the soil and evaporated right up into the sky," he says.
Stobaugh says farmers have been forced to put all their resources into irrigating crops like rice, corn, milo and soybeans: hoping the extra moisture will get positive results.
"And as you can see we have got "pods" already set throughout this entire plant," says Stobaugh.
It's still too early to know if this record heat wave and drought will effect the price consumers pay for produce.
"Pretty much all of our vegetables, about 99-percent of our vegetables are local," says Edward Worley, co-owner of Lehi Produce in Crittenden County. His business relies on providing quality produce at an affordable price. He hopes the drought doesn't change that philosophy.
"From the outlook right now, I don't think we'll have to go up on anything. But it depends on whether we get anymore rain or not. If we get more rain it'll stay the same, but if it keeps on drying out it might get a a little more expensive," Worley says.
"It's a great place to come and get fresh vegetables, you know. Look at them they're beautiful," says produce shopper Cynthia Wilson.
Wilson is from Texas. She owns a boutique in Germantown, Tennessee and stops often at Lehi Produce. Wilson says if prices go up she'll make adjustments to have the fresh food she likes.
"It's something that you have to have in life. so you just substitute others things in life," she says.
Some parts of Arkansas have gone 60 days without rain.
Crittenden County farmers could start harvesting corn in the next couple of weeks, but reports show about a third of the nation's corn crop has been badly damaged.
In the meantime, farmers are investing in electric and diesel-powered pumps to irrigate their land.
In Arkansas, 69 of the state's 75 counties have been declared disasters, leaving people wondering if they'll be left high and dry at grocery stores.
"Water is definitely the one resource that we need, everyday. We're still at a deficit right now," says Crittenden County Extension Agent Bryan Stobaugh.
Stobaugh knows Arkansas crops are suffering. Farmers planted 20 to 30 days earlier this season with hopes of record yields. but any rainfall has been of little benefit as a record drought strangles area cash crops.
"We saw significant amounts of water just being taken from the soil and evaporated right up into the sky," he says.
Stobaugh says farmers have been forced to put all their resources into irrigating crops like rice, corn, milo and soybeans: hoping the extra moisture will get positive results.
"And as you can see we have got "pods" already set throughout this entire plant," says Stobaugh.
It's still too early to know if this record heat wave and drought will effect the price consumers pay for produce.
"Pretty much all of our vegetables, about 99-percent of our vegetables are local," says Edward Worley, co-owner of Lehi Produce in Crittenden County. His business relies on providing quality produce at an affordable price. He hopes the drought doesn't change that philosophy.
"From the outlook right now, I don't think we'll have to go up on anything. But it depends on whether we get anymore rain or not. If we get more rain it'll stay the same, but if it keeps on drying out it might get a a little more expensive," Worley says.
"It's a great place to come and get fresh vegetables, you know. Look at them they're beautiful," says produce shopper Cynthia Wilson.
Wilson is from Texas. She owns a boutique in Germantown, Tennessee and stops often at Lehi Produce. Wilson says if prices go up she'll make adjustments to have the fresh food she likes.
"It's something that you have to have in life. so you just substitute others things in life," she says.
Some parts of Arkansas have gone 60 days without rain.
Crittenden County farmers could start harvesting corn in the next couple of weeks, but reports show about a third of the nation's corn crop has been badly damaged.
In the meantime, farmers are investing in electric and diesel-powered pumps to irrigate their land.
