Local farmers’ difficulties under an ongoing drought

Lonoke, Arkansas – The Bevis family has engaged in farming for seven generations.

“I got out of college three years ago, and kind of took over. So now it is just me, and I have one employee. We farm about 1,800 acres,” said Trey Bevis, a soybean and corn farmer from Lonoke.

Trey claimed that he has been waiting for rain to fall on his property, but it hasn’t recently.

Even though Bevis Farm has received a couple light rain rounds, Trey claimed that it is still insufficient.

“Man, I would take a two-inch rain every week if I could so at this point I will take anything we can get,” said Bevis.

Bevis claimed that he rejoices whenever his crops receive even a small amount of rain.

“It was like 4:03 in the morning, and I just watched it rain because it has been about 7 weeks since it rained,” said Bevis.

Trey would have to spend more money and risk having his crops ruined if there had been rain.

“Probably four or five weeks ago we were spraying beans and for that chemical to get activated, you need about a half inch of rain. There was about a 100% chance it was supposed to rain, and we did not get it,” said Trey.

He ended up spending even more money as a result of that episode.

When it is not raining, according to Trey, he must pump water from a reservoir, which requires more money and energy.

Not just Bevis but other farmers also ask for rain.

“Bigger farmers that have more acres than me, it takes a while to get across everything. So if there is no moisture in the ground, if it has not rained for four weeks, it is hot, and they plant, they do not have enough moisture to get the crop up,” said Bevis.

Consumers may suffer if farmers don’t get enough rain.

Higher grocery prices could result from fewer crops being grown throughout the state and nation.

Bevis claimed that he regularly scans the radar for rain.

No of the season, according to Trey, only rain has an effect on their farm.