- More than 41,000 acres of cotton, 4,300 acres of hay, and 3,300 acres of corn are struggling from the lack of rainfall.
- Farmers are having to irrigate more often just to keep crops alive, adding significant costs.
- Watch the video to see what local farmers are doing about it and how much it's costing them.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Thomas County is stuck in a severe drought that's been drying up farms for weeks, and farmers say the worst is yet to come.
"This drought's going to hurt next year's crop a lot worse than it is this year. This year's leaves is next year's crop," said Joey Collins, a pecan farmer.
According to the latest state drought monitor, the last time Thomas County saw a severe drought like this was in 2023.
Right now, more than 41,000 acres of cotton, 4,300 acres of hay, and 3,300 acres of corn are struggling from the lack of rainfall.
Cattle and livestock are also affected, with nearly 5,000 cattle and 188 sheep impacted by the dry conditions.
Pecans, like Joey Collins' orchards, are also being stressed without enough water, and trees lose leaves early, which directly affects next year's crop.
"Georgia is known for growing the biggest and best pecans in the nation due to the amount of water we get, the amount of humidity, and all that helps make good pecans," said Collins.
But with no rain, farmers like Collins are relying heavily on irrigation to keep their crops alive.
Running irrigation can cost tens of thousands of dollars a month, making an already difficult year even tougher and pushing some farmers to consider leaving the industry entirely.
"If something doesn't change in a hurry, I would say we're probably going to lose another 30 or 40 percent in the next two or three years. So this year will probably get rid of a bunch of them due to the drought," said Collins.
And these impacts aren't just seen on farms. Even in your neighborhood, stressed pine trees are showing the strain. Browning needles and trees losing their canopy can mean the tree is dead or dying. Some of those hazards will need to be removed.
SOT / Sydni Ingram / Thomas County Extension Agent
"In a drought, pines are more susceptible to injury from the pine bark beetle. So one thing that you may see to help you differentiate is you may notice some oozing sap. So in your home landscape, definitely look out for that. And if all of the needles are gone out of your pine tree's canopy, then it's definitely time to remove that tree. Because it can become a hazard quickly," said Sydni Ingram, a Thomas County extension agent with the University of Georgia.
For farmers and homeowners affected, you can call your local UGA extension agent for an evaluation.
They'll come out, see what's going on, and explain what your crops or trees need.
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