Journal-News.com

Springfield, Ohio — Fields of corn throughout Clark and Champaign counties suffered a wide range of damage over the weekend. Some corn fields were flattened in winds that reached more than 60 miles per hour, while others were seemingly untouched.

Jonah Johnson, an extension educator with the Ohio State University Extension in Clark County, said the storm will likely have an effect, but it would be difficult to determine the extent of the damage to local crops until the harvest.

"It'll definitely slow the harvest," he said.

Most of the crop should be able to be recovered, he said, but there will likely be some loss. With corn prices hovering around $5 a bushel, a loss of 15 bushels could roughly cost local farmers between $75 and $85, he said.

Similar issues were reported in Champaign County.

"A lot of our corn was probably nearer to maturity than some other counties as you go north of here, so we probably took as much damage as what there's been in the state," said Harold Watters, an agent for OSU Extension in Champaign County.

After talking to local equipment operators, Watters said he was told most of the crop can be salvaged.

"They say they can get most of it back up," he said. "It's just going to make for a slow harvest."

While the area is not expected to get much rain for the next couple of weeks, Watters said an especially wet October also could reduce the yield and quality of corn for local farmers.

Some farmers noticed a difference in damage depending on how the corn was planted, Johnson said. Fields that were planted east to west seemed to suffer less damage in general than fields that were planted north to south because of the direction of the wind, he said. Other fields suffered damage more consistent with tornado damage as the winds swirled through the corn in a circular motion.

For farmers whose fields were destroyed, they may be able to turn it over to crop insurance, Johnson said.

"From what I've seen, we'll be able to get most of it picked back up," Watters said. "There will be some less, hopefully no more than five percent or so."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.