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Farm bureau members discuss planting challenges with elected officials

Indiana Farm Bureau members are in D.C. this week and a southeastern Indiana farmer discussed the challenging planting season with elected officials.   

Nicole Branham grows corn and soybeans in Jennings County.  

“I’m really glad to be having the opportunity to get in front of senators to be able to share with them how things are at home and why the preventive planting and the crop insurance is so important to us to help them understand a little bit more about what it’s like on our farm,” she says. “They’re from our state as well but there’s a lot of variety in Indiana so it’s nice to be able to share stories from home.”

She says they were finally able to begin planting around May 21 and were in pretty good shape until this weekend.

“It rained four and a half inches over the weekend and about 65 percent of our crops were under water and then about another 25 percent was just standing surface water,” she says.    

Branham says they will probably have to replant, and if that happens, switch from corn to soybean acres.

Branham was part of the 18^th annual INFB Leader Trip to D.C.

Audio: Nicole Branham, Indiana farmer