SALEM, Ohio – Rain continues to hammer farmers in western Ohio. More than nine inches of rain fell this week, according to one farmer’s rain gauge.
Brian Riethman said his brother-in-law sent him photos and video of his flooded field in Botkins, in northern Shelby County, around 8 p.m. June 19.
The flood washed away some of the corn he planted earlier this month, but he’s more concerned about the long-term impact on the field.
“It’s likely going to change the overall soil composition. The topsoil at that point got washed away,” Riethman said. “It’s a bigger effect than what you’re seeing. Yeah, the crop is gone, but so are the nutrients. It’ll take years to get that back.”
They were able to plant the 72-acre field in early June when there was a four-day stretch of dry weather, gambling the payoff from a “halfway decent yield would be better off than getting prevented plant,” he said.
What they couldn’t take into account was having three subsequent rain events that dumped several inches of rain on the already saturated ground, he said.
Riethman has two rain gauges at his Shelby County home, one of which measures rain from a particular rain event. Since this rain event started on Saturday, Riethman said he’s unsure of exactly how much water has fallen as the 9-inch rain gauge has overflowed.
“It’s a 100% anomaly year,” he said. “Hopefully, we won’t see another one of those for 30 or 40 years.”
Dorothy Pelanda, Ohio director of agriculture, met with farmers in neighboring Darke County June 21 to talk about the historic planting struggles they’re facing this year.
Gov. Mike DeWine also requested federal assistance June 14 for farmers impacted by the record wet weather.
