Extreme Weather and Specialty Crops

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Extreme weather patterns are hitting U.S. crop growers this year. Cassie Rieser, technical services manager for UPL North America, says untimely rains have impacted planting, emergence and bloom in some areas. She recommends growers to be vigilant during these critical summer months.

Rieser… “As temperatures start to warm up, they can keep an eye out for any nutrient-related issues or disease emergence, especially looking in new areas of the fields. Because of the weather this year, cool temperatures and flooding can actually help move nutrient issues or disease to new parts of the field. In addition, growers are not only competing with the late-season rain, but they'll also be competing with the fall rains and the cold temperatures of this coming fall. And may be thinking about not being able to get into the field because of late-season rains because they're waiting for a harvest or their crop to ripen, but they might be competing with that late season frost or rains impacting their ability to harvest on time.”

Reiser also voiced concern about the potential for smoke from Canadian wildfires to affect specialty crops such as wine grapes in the US. More information can be found on the UPL website.