Area Farmers Hopeful For Solid Harvest, Despite Weather Related Delay In Planting

LEE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – The spring rain is still having an impact on farmers across Northeast Mississippi.

A soggy spring meant rows of corn were planted about a month late in these fields owned by McCord Farms.   But Jeff McCord knows that’s part of the business.

“You go through different seasons every year, and some better than others, you just got to roll with the flow,” McCord said.

McCord grows corn, soybeans and cotton on 2,500  acres throughout Lee, Pontotoc and Union counties.  Agriculture is a big part of the economy across the region and the state and the Farm Service Agency is there for farmers.  Ross Loftin is executive director for Lee County and says assistance is available for farmers impacted by the unusually heavy rains.

“Some corn was not able to be planted just simply because rain was affecting everybody through the entire planting season for corn, there is crop insurance available for that, so crop insurance is the line of protection most farmers have now,” Loftin said.

Even with the delay in planting, McCord expects a good year, as long as it’s not too wet come harvest time.  He also knows things could be a lot worse.

“It’s hard for me to sit here and complain when I got my fellow Mississippi farmers in the south Delta, sitting there looking at water, when they should be looking at a viable crop,” McCord said.

McCord is a third generation farmer and says even with the unpredictable nature of the business, he wouldn’t be doing anything else.

“It’s in your blood , kind of like being called to preach, you have a calling for it.,” he said.

Analysts say the record breaking flooding in the Delta will mean many farms will have no crops to harvest this year.