By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Aug. 9 — With below average rainfall over the last six months, the Virginia Cooperative Extension estimates that Page County farmers have suffered more than $4.8 million in late summer hay and pastureland losses. Crop yields are expected to be below average, and groundwater supplies are dwindling, according to an Aug. 3 report.
“The current drought has resulted in many farmers over-grazing their pastureland. Many farmers have begun to feed hay that was supposed to be this winter’s feeding,” Associate Extension Agent Elisabeth Baldwin stated in the Aug. 3 letter to the county.
“The impact of this drought will be felt for months to come,” Baldwin continued. “Brood cows may not breed back as efficiently due to the increased stress and poor body condition associated with limited forage intakes.”
On Wednesday evening during a rescheduled work session, the Page County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution presented by Baldwin asking Governor Glen Youngkin “that Page County be declared an agricultural disaster area and that any and all appropriate State and Federal disaster relief and assistance be made available to the farmers in Page County.”
Baldwin told supervisors on Wednesday that Page County’s hay production was cut in half by the drought, meaning a loss of more than 18,000 tons.
“That was a good rain [on Monday], but the damage has been done,” one farmer told the supervisors during the work session. That same farmer said that he has three ponds that have gone dry, he’s hauling water to cows, and he’s been feeding his cattle hay for the past six weeks.
“Even with the recent rain, that’s not going to change hay and pasture losses,” Baldwin added. “That won’t be regained even if it starts raining now.”
The associate extension agent reported that 2023 has been the 11th driest summer in Page County over the last 129 years. She stated that 98 percent of the county’s land mass has been in “moderate drought” this summer.
Baldwin submits weekly reports about conditions in Page County to the USDA, which may factor into the Governor’s decision about which counties to declare as “agricultural disaster” areas. In 2021, Page County submitted a similar resolution to the Governor for agricultural disaster relief, but did not receive the declaration.
“By declaring Page County an agricultural disaster area…that could bring about additional state and federal assistance to Page County farmers,” Baldwin told supervisors.
The county lost an estimated 45 days of grazing, which Baldwin estimated would take about 14,000 tons of hay to replace those “lost days.” At a Virginia estimated average of $152 per ton for hay, that accounts for about $2 million of the estimated losses. The remaining $2.8 million is in overall hay losses.
The total estimated forage losses (hay and pastureland) in Page County due to dry weather this summer was $4,876,160. Virginia Cooperative Extension damage assessment teams partnered with USDA agencies, including the Farm Service Agency, to create a damage assessment for Page County.
Yields for corn, soybeans and vegetable crops are all expected to below average, but Baldwin said it was too early to give specific estimates of losses.
Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Page County Office is located at 215 West Main Street, Suite C, Stanley, Va. 22851-3804. For more information call (540) 778-5794 or visit online at https://page.ext.vt.edu
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