WASHINGTON, Mo. – Ongoing drought conditions are taking a toll on local farms, especially those that rely on hay and forest production. With little rainfall in recent weeks, many farmers are facing challenges they haven’t seen in years.

Terry Schwoeppe, a local farmer in Franklin County and current Missouri Soybean Association board director from District 6, says the lack of moisture has significantly impacted crop growth.

“Once the rains quit, it (crop growth) basically quit,” he said. “And with the way Mother Nature works, you just don’t have the root mass there because it cannot dig in the ground for moisture.”

Cattle pastures are also suffering. At this time of year, livestock would be grazing healthy, regrown fields — but that regrowth isn’t happening.

“We’ve already rotated all our grazing paddocks,” Terry said. “And we have nowhere to go backwards because they haven’t come back.”

While early morning dew offers some temporary relief to topsoil, it’s not enough to offset the heat that dries out grasses by midday.

“This weather would be perfect for baling,” Terry said. “It’s good when it’s dry to bale hay — but there ain’t enough moisture to make everything grow.”

To help ease the burden, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is now offering a no-cost over width hauling permit. This move aims to assist farmers and ranchers transporting large hay bales — a small change that can make a big difference.

As the drought lingers, farmers across Missouri continue to adapt, hoping for relief from the weather — and for now, making the most of limited resources.