The extended dry weather and high temperatures are beginning to wreak havoc on crops and pastures.

The entire region and most of Pennsylvania are in a rainfall deficit. Pastures are drying up and turning brown, prompting supplemental hay feeding.

Hay fields produced a terrific first crop but second crop yields are greatly reduced.

You don’t have to look too far to see drought stress. Field corn is tasseling and the pollination process is a critical time when rainfall is important.

Soybeans appear to be “standing still” — some fields are already blossoming. Bottom line, all crops need more rainfall.

Time will tell how the summer plays out but so far it’s too hot and too dry for me

Aug. 1 deadline for ARCPLC enrollment

Farmers have until Aug. 1 to enroll in Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and/or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2016 crop year.

Producers have already elected ARC or PLC, but they must enroll for the 2016 crop year by signing a contract before the Aug. 1 deadline to receive program benefits. Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to enroll.

The programs trigger financial protections for participating agricultural producers when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices or revenues.

Nationwide, more than 1.76 million farmers and ranchers are expected to sign contracts to enroll in ARC or PLC.

Covered commodities under the programs include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long-grain rice, medium-grain rice (which includes short-grain and sweet rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.

Butler, Beaver and Allegheny producers can contact the Butler FSA office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 2, for more program information or to set an appointment to come in to sign their contracts.

Since 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked to strengthen and support American agriculture, an industry that supports one in 11 American jobs, provides American consumers with more than 80 percent of the food we consume, ensures that Americans spend less of their paychecks at the grocery store than most people in other countries, and supports markets for homegrown renewable energy and materials.

USDA has also provided $5.6 billion in disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; expanded risk management tools with products like Whole Farm Revenue Protection; and helped farm businesses grow with $36 billion in farm credit.

The department has engaged its resources to support a strong next generation of farmers and ranchers by improving access to land and capital; building new markets and market opportunities; and extending new conservation opportunities.

USDA has developed new markets for rural-made products, including more than 2,500 biobased products through USDA’s BioPreferred program; and invested $64 billion in infrastructure and community facilities to help improve the quality of life in rural America.

For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.