Heat, drought scorching Utah County farm yields

PROVO — A pair of June rain storms helped spring grain crops beat the early heat in Utah County, but water shortages and record heat since have taken their toll on farm yields.

"It was like an extra irrigation," said Dean Miner, county director of the Utah State University extension office.

Because the heat didn't start until May, grain crops — primarily barley and wheat — "got pretty far along before it got too hot," Miner added.

Utah County farmers fared better than farmers near Lewiston, Idaho, where record heat reduced a normal yield of 80 bushels per acre to between 50 and 55.

"Everything is down," said Dick Wittman, who farms near Lapwai.

Still, the heat and drought have affected Utah County farmers.

"We could use some moisture any time," said Chad Johnson, who farms with his father, Nathan Johnson, in west Orem.

They normally use Provo River water to nourish their barley, corn and alfalfa, but that's been "hit and miss," Chad Johnson said.

The last farmers on the ditch, they have to juggle with other farmers to use the water, but usually "we just get what's left," he said.

The ongoing drought has forced them to pump well water the past two years. They've been running a diesel-powered tractor motor around the clock to drive the pump that brings water to their more than 80 acres. The extra effort and cost of 25 gallons of diesel fuel a day have resulted in a good crop of barley — with 100 bushels per acre — and hay, he said, although the crop weight could be down some. The corn hasn't been harvested.

One hundred bushels per acre is considered a benchmark for barley in Utah County, Miner said.

"You have to get more than that to really brag about it."

The barley yields are lighter than usual, said Rex Larsen, who grows barley for his cattle near Spanish Fork. Normally bushels of barley weigh about 48 pounds, he said, but are down four or five pounds.

Heat and drought have dealt a one-two punch to farmers across the West.

"Yields are pretty much average for the winter wheat, but (an) earlier optimism for a large spring wheat crop is dropping by the day," said Jonathan Schlueter, executive vice president of Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed in Portland.

Some Utah County farmers were able to rent water from the Central Utah Project, but it's expensive. At $24 an acre-foot, it costs nearly twice as much as normal sources, Larsen said.

"We're fortunate," he said. "A lot of places are out of water."

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Contributing: Associated Press

E-MAIL: rodger@desnews.com