Wicked weather leaves wet conditions behind and that could affect your bottom line.
You've probably seen standing water in people's lawns. While that may not affect you, something else will.
There are scenes are all over MidMichigan with driveways, roads, ditches under water. So are the crops.
Some farmers have already planted potatoes and sugar beets.
Farmers find themselves in an interesting scenario. They want to get the seed in the ground as soon as possible. Some have already done that. But because of that and all the rain, they may have to replant.
Terry Henne, farm broadcaster at WSGW radio says, "You have those farmers that have spent a lot of money to put that crop in so far and all they're looking is a whole lot more money to re-sow."
That re-sowing means more money for fuel, which is high.
The poor weather can cause potatoes to rot, sugar beets to crust, and makes it difficult for anything to do well, except for weeds, which will cost more to kill.
Experts say we're about two to three weeks out to get seeds in the ground because forecasts show fall weather won't be ideal to harvest, making quicker yields more desirable.
"There are only so many hours in the day, and there are only so many safe hours in the day. You really don't want to see people push to the point where they are stressing out and stressing the equipment," says Henne.
Agriculture is Michigan's number two industry just behind manufacturing...
Farmers are taking precautions to make sure they get paid.
"It really affects the bottom line and that's why more producers than ever before have gotten involved with crop insurance with different instruments that guarantees a price," says Henne.
Experts say, of the total crop, around 18 to 19 percent of sugar beets and potatoes are already in the ground.
However, they say they number is lower in the MidMichigan area.
