Grasshoppers, dry weather create challenges for South Dakota farmers

News Grasshoppers, dry weather create challenges for South Dakota farmers Crop pests have been a problem for some farmers in southeast South Dakota. Kevin Deinert grows corn, soybeans, and forages near Mitchell. “We’ve seen a lot of insect problems, whether that would be grasshoppers or anything of that nature. So I think there’s been a push to maybe treat some of those fields just for that sort of thing as we see insects move from the dry grass into some of these greener fields.” He tells Brownfield the pressure has been mostly in forage crops and soybeans, but says the corn has really suffered from dry conditions. “Because as you go through the countryside you’ll have corn fields that are maybe 6 foot tall and brown the whole way through and no ears, but then again you’ve got some corn fields that are 10 to 12-foot high that should have set on an ear.” Deinert says he expects corn yields to be significantly lower than last year. Add Comment