News

Kansas Corn says drought will have major impact on feed, water supplies

The head of Kansas Corn says historic drought will impact two of the state’s most critical resources for farmers and ranchers: water and feed.

Greg Krissek tells Brownfield a 20 percent drop in corn production is expected, which will limit feed stocks in Southwest Kansas and the Southern Plains. “Is Western Kansas supplying some of the panhandle of Texas and Oklahoma? I don’t know how much we can do that.  I would imagine we will see some livestock producers and ethanol plants bring in grain from other states.”

With depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer, Krissek says producers will need to reevaluate their water management plan, especially if they are in a Water Conservation Area. “They may have used a little bit more this year because of the short year, and they will need to make some strategic decisions about what they are going to do for next growing season as we see how much they see they dipped into the flexible options they have.”

A Water Conservation Area is an area that gives landowners and producers water right flexibility to reduce water withdrawals while maintaining economic value.  And, It allows water supplies to be transferred to another year.

Krissek spoke with Brownfield at the 2022 Ag Outlook Forum presented by Agri-Pulse and the Kansas City Agribusiness Council.