Many West Michigan Farmers Just Not Planting This Year

Tough season due to weather for West Michigan farmers so many farms will be corn or soybean free this year.

According to WZZM, the U.S.D.A. says Michigan farmers have just not had the right weather to be able to plant this year.

Rain has been flooding fields over and over this season and farmers just can't catch a break. Plus, lower temperatures are not helping important crops like corn that need heat to help it grow.

With all the rain even the big farm tractors can get stuck which has many farmers saying, 'Nope. Not this year'.

Soybean farmers are having the same trouble and it is so bad that farmers are generally planting less than half of what they normally do or nothing at all.

Farmers who have already managed to squeeze in some corn still may not make out on their investment with some of those fields getting flooded, killing off chunks of their yield.

For those farmers who depend on the crop to feed their live stock, this season is going to make it rough. Plus, this may make it tough to get feed or drive the prices higher than normal.

Many farmers are going to have to bring in corn from other states to feed their livestock but that may be tough since so much of the country's farmland has had even more severe flooding.

This corn shortage will also affect the price of sweet corn at the grocery store or farmers market.

The Michigan House and Senate have already passed a bill that will provide $15 million in low interest loans at 1% for farmers who are struggling. The bill is just awaiting a signature from Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Gov. Whitmer is also asking for federal assistance for some disaster relief.