The Drought Is Hitting South Carolina Farmer’s Bottom Line

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — If you like fruit, or vegetables, listen up, the drought could soon make some of your favorite produce, hard to come by. “The drought has affected us, basically our bottom line, our profit will be slim to none,” says famer, Jamie Poole. Poole travels from Salley, South Carolina here to Columbia five days a week to sell his corn at the South Carolina State Farmer’s Market. “It’s a big market and it’s busy and if you want to get rid of it, this is the way to get rid of it,” says Poole. Poole also farms hay, and he says the drought is hurting business. “Normally on our hay, we get four to five cuttings, this year we will be lucky to get two to three,” says Poole. South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers, says the drought is affecting the entire state, in different ways. “Our beef farmers say in the Upstate, our famers normally bring in hay now to store up for Winter feedings, we have farmers feeding hay now,” says Commissioner Weathers. Just this week, Lancaster, Kershaw, Lexington and Ricland counties reached Moderate drought status. Meanwhile, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester and Horry counties are all in the severe drought stage. Commissioner weathers says the affects are starting to show. “The heat and the drought have really shortened our watermelon season,” says Comissioner Weathers. Yet there may be some hope. “Our tomato season is about the same and our peaches may fair a little better,” says Commissioner Weathers. But until the drought gets better farmers like Jamie Poole, say he and his family will continue to cut back. “When you are used to living off a certain amount of money and the farm doesn’t produce like it’s suppose to, then there won’t be as many vacations and things like that,” says Poole. Commissioner Weathers says Mother Nature is a partner to South Carolina farmers and right now, they are simply asking their partner, for rain. Commissioner Weathers also says we should not see a rise in cost, based soley on the drought, other factors could contribute.