Near Maroa, Illinois, farmer Cody White told The Daily Scoop that his operation experienced multiple windstorms, tornadoes and significantly above-normal rainfall throughout the growing season. White said his area received approximately 15 to 20 inches more rain than normal, with some fields sitting in water throughout June.

Now, those conditions are showing up in the crop.

White reported crown rot, tar spot and top kill in his corn. His soybean acres have also been affected by sudden death syndrome and brown stem rot. Early corn harvest results have been approximately 25 to 30 bushels per acre below last year's crop in some fields, although White said later-planted corn may perform better.

Multiple Factors Behind One Yield Loss

For agricultural claims professionals, situations like this highlight an important part of investigating crop-related losses: the final yield tells only part of the story.

A field may have been subjected to damaging wind, excessive rainfall, prolonged saturation and disease pressure at different points throughout the growing season. By harvest, those effects may overlap.

Determining when damage occurred, how field conditions developed and which factors contributed to the eventual production loss can require a detailed review of the entire growing season.

Documentation may include:

• Weather and rainfall records
• Photographs taken throughout the growing season
• Field inspection notes
• Planting and production records
• Evidence of standing water or drainage issues
• Disease identification and progression
• Storm dates and reported wind damage
• Harvest results by field or acreage

When several conditions affect the same crop, establishing a clear timeline can help claims professionals better understand how the loss developed.

Disease Pressure Following Excess Moisture

The Illinois example also demonstrates the relationship between prolonged unfavorable growing conditions and later crop health concerns.

Fields that experienced extended periods of excess moisture are now being harvested alongside visible disease pressure. That makes field observations and documentation throughout the season particularly valuable rather than relying solely on conditions observed once harvest begins.

For adjusters investigating agricultural losses, distinguishing between direct storm damage, moisture-related stress, disease and other contributing factors may become an important part of evaluating the claim.

Rising Harvest Costs Add Another Pressure

Producers are also facing significantly higher operating costs as harvest moves forward.

The article reports that national on-road diesel prices have climbed above $6 per gallon, creating additional expense during one of the most fuel-intensive periods of the farming year.

While higher fuel and fertilizer expenses are separate from the physical causes of crop loss, they provide important context for the financial pressure producers are experiencing as reduced yields, higher input costs and harvest expenses converge.

What Claims Professionals Should Watch

The conditions being reported in central Illinois are a reminder that agricultural claims rarely exist in isolation.

A season that includes storms, excess rainfall and disease can leave behind several potential causes of damage across the same operation. Thorough inspections, timely documentation and an understanding of the crop's condition throughout the growing season can help create a clearer picture when losses are evaluated.

As harvest progresses across the Midwest, agricultural claims professionals may encounter similar situations where understanding the sequence of events is just as important as documenting the final damage.

Source: The Daily Scoop, “Storms, Disease and $6 Diesel Squeeze Illinois Farmer’s Harvest,” Haley Bickelhaupt.