Farm fields across southern Kentucky are water logged after weeks of relentless heavy rains, putting some farmers weeks behind with their crops - a cost that will likely be passed down to consumers at the grocery store.
Bruce Bullars farms nearly 900 acres of land in Christian County, but nearly 200 acres of his land is underwater. As a result Bruce will end up having to use insurance to cover the loss of the land he won’t be able to plant on this year.
The rest of his corn crops are nearly three weeks behind. A delay in the growing season will mean corn is more of the mercy of hot temperatures and less rain fall during the height of the summer months.
“Sometimes you have to wait for the ideal growing conditions and this year we haven’t gotten them,” the 74-year-old said.
This time last year farmers in southern Kentucky had close to 50 percent of their crops in the ground but because there has been so much rain that number is closer to 10 percent. Eventually, the cost will likely end up being passed down to consumers.
“It’s like a domino effect, you knock over one domino and it gets to the other. Eventually it’ll get to the consumer because if you have less product to put on the market to make the cereal, or the things corn makes it will effect their bottom line what they pay at the grocery story,” Bruce added.
Bruce though, says he’s hopeful that next year will be better.
