By DEB GRUVER

Staff writer

The county’s soybean crops have taken a hit from lack of rain. Many plants — especially those that are double-crop — are not producing any beans.

“Some of the beans look good. They have good color,” extension agent Rickey Roberts said. “I think that the conditions kind of vary. It’s terribly dry. It’s taken a toll.”

Farmers have planted 122,812 acres of certified soybeans in Marion County, according to Sara Morey, county executive director of the Farm Service Agency. That total includes double-crop soybeans and soybean-only fields.

Double-crop beans are those planted into the stubble of wheat after harvesting.

“You’ll see the wheat stubble in and amongst the beans,” Roberts said. “If you look at the double-crop beans, that’s what’s really showing the wear and the tear and stress. The double-crop beans have never had any good moisture to work with.”

But soybeans are a forgiving crop, he said, hoping for rain.

“If we could catch that good rain…they’ll still make maybe an average crop,” he said. “I’m not ready to write them off.”

Corn also has been affected by lack of moisture, Roberts said.

“The corn’s done. We’re cutting the corn right now as we speak,” he said. “A lot of that yield took a hit because of the drought. I’m not expecting to hear big numbers out of corn.”