FAYETTE, Ohio — The lack of rain earlier in the growing season made an impact on farmers mainly because it's expensive for them.
The drought has affected the overall yield for some farmers. And with grain prices pers bushel being lower, they're facing multiple challenges.
Curtis Jones, co-owner of Sandburr Ridge Farms in Fayette, has been farming for more than four decades. He says this season's drought had a major impact on his farm.
"The cost of equipment, the cost of our seed, our fertilizer, chemicals, everything we use has just went really high," he said. "We are actually looking at spending a lot more dollars per acre than what we have even five years ago."
Jones says that cost means the farm simply isn't getting out as much corn and soybeans as it did last year.
"Last year we were running over 200 bushels to the acre of corn. This year we're running about 165-170," he said. "If we don't have the bushels, we don't have as much to sell."
Conditions like these allow the Ohio Department of Agriculture to step in and provide some guidance for farmers who need assistance.
"Those folks that are impacted by this drought in northwest Ohio, we make sure that they contact their Farm Service Agency office, reach out to those local offices and realize and figure out what programs are available for them to help,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge.
Jones is hoping for a rebound next year and ideal winter conditions to tee up a successful growing season.
"A mild wet winter would be the best for us to get a lot of the moisture back into the soil,” he said.