LAWTON, Iowa (KTIV) -
We won't fully know the impact of this year's drought on crops until the harvest is over. But it's already underway, which is quite early for farmers.
"We feed the world with our corn," Beth McGrath said.
Beth McGrath and her family in Lawton, Iowa have been farming for over 40 years. Like many farmers, they're combining, or harvesting their corn crops early due to the drought.
Even though some of the crops on the farm looks pretty healthy, Beth McGrath says, the corn on these stalks just aren't producing as much as normal.
McGrath says, instead of getting nearly 200 bushels per acre, she's getting about half. But, that's still much better than she expected.
"We're super excited, we thought we were going to get 40-50," McGrath said.
So far, McGrath's crops are doing better than farmers who've lost their entire crop to drought damage. Though, if McGrath's crops don't yield enough at the end of harvest, she will have to rely on crop insurance to recoup losses.
We would rather have the yield...the good moisture...you never farm for the crop insurance."
And as this year's harvest wraps up, McGrath is already thinking about next year. She's worried that she will have to plant into dry soil if it doesn't rain more next season. For now, she's optimistic.
"We are always going to think the next year is going to bring moisture again, we've always had it, if it doesn't, well you just go with the swings again," McGrath said.
