Soybean farming is a massive industry in Ohio — there's about 26,000 soybean farmers in the state with a $5.3 billion annual impact, according to the Department of Development.
But as climate change brings in new weather patterns to Ohio, those farmers have had to adapt how they grow their crop.
Last winter was Ohio's second warmest winter on record since at least 1895.
Soybeans thrive in non-sandy, well-drained earth. With heavier rainfall predicted from climate change, farmers run the risk of water lingering on their crop and disrupting its growth.
The combination of rainfall, changing temperatures and pest pressure has shifted the planting window for farmers, said Aaron Wilson, assistant professor at Ohio State University,
"When we think about things like spring planting season, in overall wetter conditions or more intense rainfall events, we think about a shrinking planting window," he said. "So right now we've got a situation in the state where Central and Southern Ohio are well ahead of the five year average."
Bob Suver, a longtime soybean farmer in the Springfield area, serves on the Ohio Soybean Council and the Ohio Soybean Association.
To avoid flooding his crop, Suver uses field tile. Field tile is an underground drainage system that directs excess water away from crops and into waterways.
“So the water can drain underground, away. You put in water ways so in the areas where water flows, it's running on the grass and it's not taking the soil, so you don't lose your soil," Suver said. "And those things have to be maintained, have to be kept up.”
Suver also now plants his soybean crop earlier in the year due to changing weather conditions.
“It used to be you always planted corn first, and then you planted soybeans. You might plant your corn in April, but you never planted soybean maybe until after the 1st of May," he said. "Well, now, sometimes it's just the opposite. A lot of times we'll try to plant soybeans in early April.”
Warmer and wetter winters can also contribute to disease, mold and pest risks in crops, according to Wilson.
With record warm winters in recent years, he said Ohio farmers can expect more unseasonably warm weather impacting their crops.
"Last winter was Ohio's second warmest winter on record going back to 1895," he said. "We've had back to back very warm winters, which is really a sign of these longer term change in terms of winter conditions."
