New York farmers are hoping for a miracle after a wet spring and hot summer left crops in turmoil this year, reported Farm Progress.
What’s happening?
Upstate New York saw a rainy spring in 2025, causing the planting season to be pushed back to late June. Crops that had been planted earlier suffered from the soil’s nitrogen deficiency and slug damage. A hot and dry summer followed, preventing crop roots from setting properly.
Now crop farmers are worried an early frost could wipe out their work. Todd Dumond, owner of Dumond Ag in Union Springs, warns that it could be devastating.
“If we have a frost in early to front half of September, a killing frost, there would be no grain corn. It is very far behind. So, an early frost would be detrimental to corn,” he said, per Farm Progress. “Beans, they go a little differently. But there is much less vegetation there, poorer root development. So again, any stress is going to be amplified.”
Why is weather important to crop development?
Even the heartiest crops are impacted by weather conditions. As the climate crisis accelerates the planet’s overheating, poor conditions are likely to become more prevalent, and crops are more likely to fail.
That has serious consequences, not only for farmers, whose livelihoods depend on these crops, but also for everyday people, who rely on them for food supplies. When crops like corn fail en masse, it doesn’t just affect the price of corn, but also of all corn products on grocery store shelves, as well as corn-fed meat products.
Changing weather patterns also affect the food supply for wildlife. Extreme weather events can damage entire ecosystems and disrupt food chains, leaving animals struggling to find resources.
What’s being done about crop failure?
If an early frost does come, farmers will likely have to file claims on their crop insurance policies, though some have struggled with the process. The federal government may need to step in, as it did last year, when the USDA’s Farm Service Agency offered assistance following extreme weather.
In the meantime, it’s important to stay up-to-date on critical climate issues. Information and education are the only ways to a cleaner, safer future for all.
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