Drought conditions take toll on harvest yields, quality

Men stack hay in a field north of Uniontown Aug. 14.

Harvest is winding down and the finish date for most farmers is much earlier than normal.

At Lamont Grain Growers, Inc., Manager Jim Fuhrman said exact yield numbers are not known yet, but the overall intake has been about 10 percent higher than last year. Fuhrman attributes that to more acres, rather than a higher yield per bushel.

“Even though the intake was higher, the quality is poor,” Fuhrman said.

He said the wheats have seen higher protein levels and low test weights.

“It was pretty disappointing on the spring side,” he said.

Fuhrman said he is still taking wheat in, and his farmers have about 700 acres left to harvest.

At the Almota Elevator Co., a representative said harvest yields are not known at this time.

Palouse Grain Growers Manager Bruce Baldwin said it’s still too early to determine a final yield, but the weather took its toll.

“Winter wheat was better than expected, though not up to standards for yield and the quality was off a bit,” he said. “The barley came in better than expected, but spring crops got hit hard by the weather.”

Higher than normal temperatures and a lack of precipitation contributed to an early start to harvest and an early end.

Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought in early May, and the drought conditions have continued to affect the county, especially the harvest.

The Legislature allocated $16 million for the 2015-17 biennium for the drought emergency. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, the funding is available to eligible public entities for projects that address current drought hardships related to public drinking water supplies, livestock and irrigated agriculture or fish and wildlife.

In Whitman County, stream flows have been determined to be at less than 10 percent of normal.

“During July, the last month for which data was compiled, the average stream flow statewide was below or much below normal,” read a Department of Ecology report. “The areas in which the U.S. Geological Survey has taken below-normal readings are larger than they were at this time in 2005 when the last statewide drought was declared.”

The U.S Drought Monitor determined Aug. 4 that Whitman County has reached the extreme category for drought conditions.

Programs available to help farmers and ranchers at this time include the Livestock Forage Program, the Emergency Conservation Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program and the Tree Assistance Program.