{"id":10653,"date":"2012-09-11T16:32:20","date_gmt":"2012-09-11T22:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/?p=10653"},"modified":"2012-09-11T16:32:20","modified_gmt":"2012-09-11T22:32:20","slug":"for-some-idaho-farmers-this-years-drought-means-losses-next-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2012\/09\/11\/for-some-idaho-farmers-this-years-drought-means-losses-next-year\/","title":{"rendered":"For Some Idaho Farmers, This Year’s Drought Means Losses Next Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Molly Messick \/ StateImpact Idaho<\/p>

Last month, Hans Hayden examined wheat yields near his farm in Arbon Valley, near Pocatello.<\/p><\/div>\n

In Idaho, this summer’s drought has picked winners and losers.\u00a0 In southeast Idaho, farmers with deep wells and sophisticated irrigation systems predicted record profits<\/a> as harvest time began last month.\u00a0 Meanwhile, dryland farmers nearby contemplated withered spring wheat fields<\/a>, and hoped to break even.<\/p>\n

Now, dryland wheat farmer Hans Hayden says the drought is beginning to cause problems for next<\/em> season’s crop.\u00a0 “We\u2019ve already lost potential for next season,” Hayden says.<\/p>\n

Ideally, his winter wheat crop, which he plants in late summer, would be growing right now.\u00a0 But without rain, there’s no sense in putting seed in the ground.\u00a0 And that cuts into next year’s yields.<\/p>\n

“I am losing at least a bushel per day or every other day,” Hayden estimates.\u00a0 What’s more, he faces a shrinking window of time during which he can get the crop in the ground.<\/p>\n

“After October 10, we have very little growing season around here,” he explains.\u00a0 “We really don\u2019t have any success if we plant it and it doesn\u2019t come up before spring.”<\/p>\n

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