Flood Losses Still Being Totaled

by Don Molino

Louisiana soybean farmers are still trying to recover from the widespread flooding back in August. A lot of bean acres were completely lost while others were saved, although with lower yields than had been expected before all that water was dropped across Louisiana.

Richard Fontenot farms rice and soybeans in Evangeline Parish and he tells a similar story.

"The bean crop is a mixed bag," says Fontenot. "We had quite a few acres that went under water, and those aren't producing very well. But it's still early in the game and it's a little too early to make a final determination."

Fontenot and his brother planted almost 1600 acres of soybeans this season and "we're going to be able to salvage most of those but we're going to take a hit on some of the flat lying areas with yields probably in the eight to twenty bushel range. Hopefully the higher ground will be a little more normal. But we're definitely going to take a hit and it'll be tough."

(This report is a service of the Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board)