Responding to a Late Season Hail Damage Event in the Amish Community in Pennsylvania.

In mid August 2009, a severe hailstorm damaged crops in a band throughout southern Lancaster County, in a region heavily populated with Amish dairy farms.  Corn crops varied from R4 in early planted fields to R1 in late planted fields. Defoliation ranged from 0 to nearly 100% in some fields.  Immediately following the event, yield loss estimates were made based on crop insurance charts using growth stage and defoliation.  In addition estimates of forage quality were made based on recent published research.  As the corn producers weighed their options over the next two weeks following the event, serious ear molds became evident on many of the ears.  This complicated the situation.  Extension staff met with the Amish community, other local farmers and feed industry representatives to develop strategies for dealing with the situation and then communicated these to producers through the ag media and other channels.