Extreme heat and dry conditions impacting North Alabama farmers

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The dangerous heat and dry conditions across North Alabama can be challenging for farmers especially when rainfall is a critical contributor to their daily operations.

Mike Tate has been a farmer for more than 50 years at Tate Farms in Madison County. He’s no stranger to the extreme heat and dryness being experienced adding these conditions come in cycles. However, this year it’s having a profound impact on what he’s growing.

“Fortunately we haven’t seen this in about 10 or 12 years not to this extreme, but it has been very hot this year and it has had some devastating effects,” Tate told News 19.

Tate Farms is in Meridianville where an extreme drought is currently taking place, which could be costly for farmers.

Corn, cotton, and soybean are some of the crops grown on his farm, but Tate says the corn is what’s taken the biggest hit due to the scorching heat.

“With corn, heat can really hurt the pollination of the ears,” Tate explained.

Tate says their irrigation system can only water a small percentage of their crops making rainfall critical for farmers especially this time of year. Having gone through similar experiences, Tate knows what his crops can withstand keeping hope alive until the farm can get some rain.

“When it comes to crops and heat and dryness at times it feels hopeless, but you have to be patient,” Tate said. “When you’re on a farm and you’re dependent on the weather to take care of what you’re doing, you can do everything you know to do but if you don’t get moisture, it’s still not going to be successful.”

The farmer of more than 5 decades says if we don’t get rain soon, it could become disastrous for North Alabama farmers no matter what crops they deal with.

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