Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Dry weather has caused some area farmers to fall on hard times, but a recent disaster declaration could get them some much needed assistance.

Area farmers who lost crops to the ongoing drought are now eligible for emergency loans, according to the Luzerne County Farm Services office.

The declaration, handed down on Sept. 14, gives affected farmers access to loans from the United States Department of Agriculture, the county agency said.

Although most crops survived the weather, the grains had a tough year, local conservationist Rich Maculaitis said. Hay and corn yields were also low, he said.

"There were times when farmers had no second or third cutting of hay," said Maculaitis, who works for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

According to USDA census of 2002, 12,887 acres of Luzerne County's 73,216 acres of farmland are used to harvest hay and other grasses. Nearly 6,000, or 5,881 acres, are used for corn, and 1,797 acres are used for oats, the census said.

Not all farms, however, were affected by the dry conditions. Spotty weather patterns gave some fields plenty of water, while neighboring fields were dry, Maculaitis said.

"That always is," said Plains Township produce farmer Harold Golomb. "You could see rain crossing over a mountain or along a river, but that's how thunderstorms are. They're not really consistent all over. We got missed many times."

So far, Golomb has had a good year. Most of his vegetables survived, but his cucumbers and squashes did not have the best year. Those crops have shallow roots, he said, so dry weather had a strong effect.

Luzerne County has been under a drought watch since Oct. 11, the National Weather Service in Binghamton, N.Y., said.

The watch was issued because groundwater levels in Northeastern Pennsylvania were below the median level at the time, meteorologist Mitch Gilt said.

Despite the drought watch, Gilt said precipitation has been plentiful. October rainfall totals are 3.26 inches above normal, and precipitation totals for the year so far are 2.12 inches above normal, he said.

The southernmost portion of Luzerne County, however, is in a moderate drought, Gilt said.

The deadline for farmers to apply for emergency loans is May 14, 2008, county farm services spokeswoman Elizabeth Crilley said.

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