‘It feels like one of the worst’: Moderate drought declared in Quad Cities region affecting local farmers

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    ELDRIDGE, IA (WQAD ) — A moderate drought has been declared for a vast majority of Eastern Iowa, according to the United States Drought Monitor.

Due to the dry conditions, Scott and Muscatine Counties have both implemented a burn ban. Once the danger to life and property has lifted, the county-wide burn bans will be lifted.

A sixth generation farmer, Hans Schnekloth has been farming full-time for his family’s farm, Schnekloth Farms Inc. in Eldridge, Iowa, for twelve years.

“We’re pretty much past the point of no return on moisture,” Schnekloth said. “If I’m just comparing it to other droughts that I’ve experienced it feels like one of the worst.”

Scott County is currently experiencing rainfall deficits between 4-5 inches in the past month.

Schnekloth said the big yellow sun has dried out his soybean crops to match.

“The beans behind me are pretty much almost completely yellow and some have started to drop their leaves,” Schnekloth said.

At this stage of drought, soybeans begin to abort pods and corn test weights begin to struggle.

“There’s some [corn] fields that are still green but a lot of them are at least showing some ‘firing’ where it – from the ground up – starts to turn brown,” said Schnekloth. “Right now the only saving grace is that it’s widespread enough in the state that it has had an impact on the prices.

The National Weather Service has predictions for rain starting later this weekend and continue through next week but currently, their confidence is low with these prediction modules.

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