Tennessee farmers struggling under severe drought conditions

MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat are some of the biggest drivers of Tennessee’s economy, but the farmers who grow them are worried about their future after weeks of hot and dry conditions.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor , much of Tennessee is experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions.

“That’s part of the gamble of farming,” said farmer and the owner of Massey Seed Andrew Massey. “We go out every year and we put it in the ground and we pray for rain and good crop and we have to have faith that we will do it again next year.”

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Massey’s farm in Maury County is in the “severe drought” category and he said this season he has only been able to harvest about half of the corn crop he harvested last summer.

According to Massey, it hasn’t been this bad since 2012.

“You have to have a passion for it because to go out and plant a crop like we are doing this year, to watch it burn up…you have to love to do it,” Massey said.

However, the dark clouds in the sky on Thursday afternoon gave Massey hope for some much-needed rain. “We will take anything at any time even if it’s just a little bit.”

He said there’s about an eight to ten-day period that can make or break a corn crop, so some rain now could help his next harvest. “Hopefully we will pull through.”

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While he has crop insurance to help him, Massey said he will still need to take a hard look at his finances after a few tough weeks. However, he is determined to make it work and to keep his nearly 100-year-old family farm going for future generations.

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