The farmer looks out over the pasture at the farm Hotvedt on Svinevoll in Tønsberg. At this time of the year, the cows usually bask in lush green meadows. Now the soil is completely dry. There is dust everywhere. The grass doesn’t grow. In Eastern Norway, it has been extremely dry throughout May. In Vestfold and Telemark, there has been 70-80 per cent less rainfall than normal this month, the Meteorological Institute informs. – It will be a bit like looking at your lawn in late summer when it is brown and dry. We are already starting to experience that, describes Inger Synnøve Johnsen. MOVED: The cows eat up the feed before planned. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news Have to move the cows The farmer will have to move the cows to a new pasture earlier than planned. This means that the food the animals should have had later in the summer is eaten much sooner, and she risks having to use up the feed they need for the winter. – It is terribly dry everywhere. We are concerned that no rain has been reported in the long-term forecast. Hope it goes wrong and that we get rain soon, says Johnsen. Many farmers in the area share her concern, she says. Grain farmers are particularly vulnerable. The grain does not germinate as it should. Johnsen is also deputy chairman of the Vestfold farming association and has spoken to several people who remember the dry summer of 2018 with horror. – Many had very, very poor crops. No one wants to experience that again, she says and emphasizes that it was her worst year as a farmer ever. WORRIED: Farmer Inger Synnøve Johnsen is worried about dry soils. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news – How important would it have been for you to get rain soon? – It is very important. Both for grass crops, grazing for the cows and not least for the grain to grow, so we can get a good grain crop in the autumn. No precipitation expected While Southern Norway and Eastern Norway have southern temperatures, there is little to remind us of spring in Northern Norway. There, sleet, rain and snow showers dominate the weather forecast. DRY AND HOT: The weather map on Wednesday 31 May. Photo: Meteorological Institute In Southern and Eastern Norway, the weather is fine as far as the eye can see. According to state meteorologist Bente Wahl, no precipitation is expected. – It is extremely dry, and it does not become less dry because this weather seems to persist well into June, she says. Recommends ice in the stomach According to the Norwegian Agricultural Advisory Service, it is especially Eastern Norway that has challenges with drought right now. Vestfold, Østfold, parts of Buskerud, the south of Akershus and parts of Agder particularly notice it. There are also challenges in the areas of Gudbrandsdalen, Østerdalen and Hamar, the advisory office states. Some places have had drips from above, so there are local variations. PASTURED ANIMALS: Inger Synnøve Johnsen’s cows must be moved to new pastures ahead of time, due to the drought. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news – It’s a problem and people are starting to get stressed, says Ragnhild Borchsenius, who is subject coordinator at Norwegian Agricultural Advisory. Ragnhild Borchsenius, specialist coordinator in Norwegian agricultural consultancy. Photo: Jan Ferstad Lower temperatures than 2018 She is still not sounding the alarm yet. Compared to the crisis year 2018, it is colder this year. – The low temperature at night means that evaporation is not so great. It has been our salvation this year, which means that we have had a bit of ice in our stomachs. But the fact that higher temperatures have been reported for the next week worries us a little, says Borchsenius. The agricultural adviser advises everyone with an irrigation system to start it now. Farmers must start using next year’s fodder reserves, should there be a shortage of pasture, she advises. – We can only cross our fingers and hope that there will be precipitation in the long term. It’s not like 2018 yet. Keep ice in your stomach, this can go well.
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Farmers worried about dry pastures – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
