Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 11, 1995 TAG: 9507110097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAMBLISSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Wheat is a part of Bedford County. Its stalks decorate the county seal. And even though it isn't the county's biggest crop in money or size, growing it is a part of life for a handful of farmers.
This year, however, the county's wheat lies damaged and flattened in the field by the same heavy rains that brought floods and destruction just weeks ago. Most of it would have been sold to make flour for bread and other baked goods. Now the farmers hope they can sell at least some of it as livestock feed.
Some of it is not even fit for that. Much of it can't be harvested at all.
The wheat crop is just one of many casualties of the cruel rains that fell on Bedford County last month. Basements were flooded. Bridges were washed out. Concrete was torn from the roads.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency declared Bedford County a disaster area Monday and will allow those affected by the flood to apply for financial assistance. Roads will be rebuilt with the money, and uninsured homeowners may be able to replace their valuables.
But the wheat crops can't be replaced. And for some of the farmers, neither can the money they lost.
Bill Johnson has about 130 acres of wheat on his farm, making him probably the county's largest wheat producer. His family has been growing wheat on his farm in Chamblissburg since 1916.
He was luckier than other wheat farmers. He sold half his wheat for flour milling, which pays a better price than if he were to sell it for livestock feed. But the other half's still sitting in the pastures, water-logged.
The fields are so muddy, his tractors get stuck. And the wheat's so moist and flat, the combines can't pick it up. Johnson's not sure if he'll be able to sell any of it.
"It's just like losing half your paycheck," he said. He doesn't think the disaster aid will be able to come close to paying for his loss. And, he says, jumping through the hoops to apply probably will be a bigger hassle. He says he probably won't do it.
If he can sell his crop, it probably will be as livestock feed, which fetches about $3 a bushel now compared with $4 for wheat for flour.
The big problem is moisture. Most mills that buy wheat won't accept it if it's too moist. They require farmers to bring in samples before selling. If the wheat's too wet, they won't buy.
"So far, nobody's brought in any that's low enough [in moisture] for us to accept," said Dave Jones, mill manager for the Southern States feed mill in Vinton.
Roanoke City Mills, a division of the Manell Corp., is largest mill in the Roanoke Valley. It buys wheat from farmers as near as Bedford County and as far away as South Carolina.
John Gibson, the mill's general manager, says what happened to Bedford County's wheat happened in a lot of places. About half as many trucks are bringing wheat in as usual. And they're bringing it in a lot later.
Consequently, the price of wheat has gone up. That's good new to farmers, who face losing some crops, but bad news to consumers, who may see a rise in the price of bread and other wheat-related products.
"I think there will be some shortage, because we're seeing a lot of wheat in the fields that isn't fit for mill wheat" used for flour, Gibson said.
Another farmer who grows wheat, Garland Simmons of Chamblissburg, says the rain hasn't been all bad. He had to sell his crop for livestock feed, but since the prices have gone up, he didn't really see a financial loss.
And the rains helped his other crops, such as hay, which is now ready to harvest and is being helped along by recent dry weather.
"But if this rain had lasted another three weeks," Simmons said, "We would've lost the hay just like we did the wheat."
Those with flood damage can call FEMA at (800)462-9029 for information on how to apply for aid.
by CNB