State warns of potential crop crisis

By Staff
Commissioner Ron Sparks warns that Alabama agricultural producers are in a potential crisis mode concerning the fall 2009 crop harvest, according to a recent assessment conducted across the state.
Prior to September, many producers were expecting to harvest a "bumper" crop and were very optimistic for the upcoming harvest season.
Uncommon and unfavorable precipitation during September and October have degraded various crops and caused poor harvesting conditions, which caused the harvest to be behind schedule by around four to six weeks.
The major crops impacted by the recent rainfall are cotton, soybeans, corn and peanuts.
Reports indicate that our state is in dire need of dry weather within the next two weeks, which may eliminate a potential state disaster.
Producers are already suffering from heavy September and October rainfalls and dry conditions will not eliminate damage that has already taken place to crops across the state.