Not only has it been raining in the Miss-Lou it’s been pouring, causing an adverse effect on area crops.

This time last year farmers were waiting for rainfall after crops were destroyed from the six weeks’ lack of rain. The last week’s six to 10 inches of rain have killed crops and delayed harvests.

Glen Daniels, county agent for Concordia Parish, said the heavy rains really affected the soybeans in the parish, causing about 35 percent to have to be replanted, probably around 25,000 acres.

The fields of beans look almost &uot;like somebody took a fire torch and burned them,&uot; Daniels said. &uot;I’ve seen large acreage of just dead beans.&uot;

All of the water is flooding and drowning the beans, causing a lack of light and oxygen to get to them and not allowing photosynthesis, the process necessary for them to grow.

Monterey farmer Lynn White said he probably lost 20 to 25 percent of his soybean crop.

&uot;We have to replant,&uot; White said. &uot;We’ve had so much rain in the last several weeks that everything was just full. It (the water) just didn’t have anywhere to go.

&uot;Six to seven inches of rain at a time is not good for anything.&uot;

White said farmers will have to wait for the land to dry out to replant.

&uot;We’ve still got time to make a crop,&uot; White said.

The rain will cause some replanting and a delay in planting for the group four, five and six soybeans, Daniels said.

&uot;If the system moves out we still have time to plant some of the group five and sixes,&uot; he said.

The land must dry out before replanting can start however. White said the promise of tomorrow is that forecasts say the rain is decreasing.

With the soybeans, farmers were &uot;off to the best start we’ve had in years,&uot; White said and Daniels agreed.

Daniels said he has heard many farmers say &uot;Everything was going too smooth.&uot;

Daniels said the young rice is also suffering from flooding for some of the same reasons as the soybeans.

Daniels said the corn and milo are probably benefiting from all the rain. White said he doesn’t think that much rain is good but does not anticipate losing any of his crop. However, there are a lot of weeds and grass in the crop, Daniels said.

Wheat should be harvested right now and the rain is delaying that as well. Daniels said the wheat might not be affected although it might be storing moisture in its head. Daniels said some farmers might mud it out and try to harvest despite the rainy and muddy conditions.

There is still some cotton to be planted but in Tuesday’s market, the cotton prices were down.

Daniels said the prices are mediocre at best at 5 7 to 58 cents per pound.

&uot;Hopefully we may see some price increase,&uot; Daniels said.

But with the low amount of profit in the cotton market already, a low price may drive more farmers out of it.

Daniels said the interest in cotton farming is decreasing and estimated a 30 to 35 percent decrease in cotton planting in Concordia Parish this year.

Farmers are looking for crops that will get them the largest profit, like everyone else, Daniels said.

For example, at the cotton prices right now, after costs are factored in, Daniels said cotton farmers might make $100 profit per acre. On soybeans, however, they can make about $200 an acre.

But the prices are not only contingent on the United States anymore but the world. The prices change by how much we use, import and how much is left over, Daniels said.