Officials look over a planted corn field covered by drifting sand and dirt left by the Missouri River flooding.
A year after the historic Missouri River flooding destroyed cropland and displaced families from their homes, residents are still trying to recover.
“The most significant challenge in the recovery is the fine sand deposited several feet deep all over the area,” said Dan Steinkruger, state executive director, Nebraska Farm Service Agency. “It has to be removed. It continues to blow and drift over planted crops, destroying young corn and soybean plants.”
The Nebraska and Iowa Farm Service Agency came together this month to evaluate the recovery process, listen to state and local officials discuss their recovery operations and receive feedback on the Emergency Conservation Program that is being used to assist farmers in rehabilitating their land.
The meeting, held in Blair, Neb., was open to the public and included members from FSA, NRCS, RMA and the Nebraska Cooperative Extension. John Whitaker, Iowa FSA state director and Dan Steinkruger, Nebraska FSA state director, moderated the meeting.
Officials toured a large farm in Iowa that was heavily damaged by the flood. To date, nearly 50 percent of that farmland has been repaired and planted. Another tour was held 10 miles south in Nebraska at a farm that was heavily damaged by the flood. A portion of the farm has been repaired and planted.
“One of the most impressive results of the day was the resilience and positive attitude exhibited by farmers and landowners impacted by the floods,” said Steinkruger. “It was truly an inspiration.”
