WRIGHT COUNTY, Minn. — Flooding is widespread across the state and that's bad news for farmers who are already losing a lot of crops.
"I just had a feeling we were going to pay for it," said longtime farmer, Brad Dehn, about the dry winter turned soggy spring. "I didn’t figure it would be as wet and prolonged as what we had."
This season's relentless rain put planting weeks behind schedule on his 1,300 acres just outside Buffalo in Wright County. The crops that are surviving are struggling - and so too, is Dehn.
"My stress, it comes and goes," said Dehn. "You manage it the best you can and move forward."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the Upper Midwest got twice the normal amount of rain last week. In some spots, it says nine inches fell.
Some of Dehn's fields look like lakes. The soybeans are stunted and the corn is yellowed and nowhere near knee high like the wives tale says.
"The roots are shallow, they haven't gone down deep yet," said Dehn. "That’s not to say it can’t get better, but it’s got its challenges going forward."
More moisture, means less oxygen compacting the soil that's still so wet, Dehn is already cutting his losses that he says could be at least 15%.
"To lose it once is one thing, to go back and replant it a second time and lose it again, that's frustration," said Dehn.
The damage is now widespread, especially in parts of southwest Minnesota that are experiencing severe flooding. Dehn says its unlikely the disaster will impact prices at the grocery store anytime soon. It's his bottom line that's taking the biggest hit now.
"If it didn't rain for three weeks, I'd be just fine," said Dehn, who's still hopeful Mother Nature can turn things around.
"At some point, there's nothing you can really do about it, it's out of your hands," said Dehn.
Farmers are already prepared to rely on crop insurance, but the farm bill that funds some of that is stalled in Congress. However, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said Tuesday he's also working to get federal aid to those who need it.
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