Hail storm another big hit to local farmersby Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)
The Father's Day hail storm damaged about 500 of the 850 acres of corn on the Wise family farm in Kosciusko County. They estimate the damage could be in the tens of thousands of dollars. (WSBT photo) MENTONE — If your home or your car was hit with last week's hail storm you’re not alone. It did thousands of dollars in damage all across the area, but we are learning the damage could be far worse for local farmers. Multimedia Related ContentThe storm shredded corn fields across a wide path of eastern Kosciusko County near the town of Mentone. Farmers Jim and Jeff Wise are used to Mother Nature's temperament — their living depends on it. But last week's hail storm was a first. “This seemed to last a little longer, and the hail stones got a little bigger; it just did more damage than it normally does,” explained Jim Wise. The hail storm fired pellets the size of golf balls across much of Northern Indiana, shredding thousands of acres of farmland in its path. “It knocked them right off the stalk,” Wise said of their corn crop. Today agricultural insurance companies are busy. “It’s a pretty big deal,” said Scott Silveus with Silveus Insurance. “We're pushing 150 claims in June, and we have never approached that number in June.” The Wise family estimates the storm damaged about 500 of the 850 acres of corn they planted this year. Damage could be in the tens of thousands of dollars. They do have insurance to cover some of it, but not all; because just before the hail came down the price of the corn shot up. “With the floods and everything in the Midwest — in Iowa and southern Indiana and all over — the price of corn a week or so ago went up like 70 cents a bushel,” Wise said. It’s been a challenging season for farmers — from hail damage to flooding to giant fuel prices for giant equipment — leaving farmers helpless to change it. “We just have to kind of go with the flow I guess,” said Wise. Most PopularMore Good Stuff |
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