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Recent rainfall creates slight harvest hiccup

Farmers 'nervous,' according to a farm bureau
Posted at 6:10 PM, Oct 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-08 19:14:58-04

Ryan Ueberrhein is tired of looking at his dampened crops and wet fields.

"We've gotten about 300 acres done so far," he said Monday.

But, the third-generation farmer says he still needs to harvest about 1,700 acres more. So far, he's mostly picked soybeans with some corn.

While the rain reminds him of the slight harvest hiccup, the Nebraska Farm Bureau is also keeping its eyes to the skies with the recent rainfall and weather projections for the upcoming days.

Jay Rempe, a senior economist with the bureau, told 3 News Now the harvesting season is still early. 

However, if we're having this same conversation two to three weeks from now then it could lead to substantial problems, Rempe said.

The farming expert shares most farmers are feeling nervous, especially if the heavy moisture leads to rotting.

Ueberrhein says he's just as anxious as he is nervous but believes he's not too far behind.

"You got to put it in perspective that we didn't even get started - I didn't even start harvesting until the 18th of October last year, and I started the last week of September this year," he said.

Yet, should farmers be delayed any longer, it could drive up commodity prices for items like corn, soybeans, beef and pork in a few months, Rempe said.