Rain hurting crops for farmers in Mid Missouri

The recent rain in Mid Missouri has been causing problems for farmers.

Farmers averaged less than a day of fieldwork last week because of above-average rainfall, and it’s causing corn and soybean planting to fall behind.

“I am starting to get concerned now. Up until this last rain I was okay, I knew if I got planted next week I could still make up most of the crop of soybean,” said Timothy Reinbott, superintendent of Bradford Research Center.

However, the rain keeps falling which means the waiting game continues for Reinbott until he can plant his soybeans.

“They will plant the soybeans one way or another,” said Reinbott.

Right now only 23 percent of the state’s soybeans have been planted, compared to 7 percent last year.

“But corn on the other hand, we might have a hard time getting it to mature,” said Reinbott.

The rain Mid Missouri has had the past few months is above average, but not necessarily abnormal according to the ABC 17 Stormtrack news team.

“In the last couple of weeks its been the consistency of rain that is where the problems lie. The reason is it just keeps everything wet, and you can’t get any work done. But as far as numbers are concerned it really didn’t come in that far above average compared to other springs,” said ABC 17’s Chief Meteorologist Sharon Ray.