While you can't prevent hail, you can prepare for and respond quickly when crops are damaged. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension team is here to help you make informed and timely decisions through their new (launched winter 2018) website Hail Know.
This easy to navigate website helps you understand what topography and geography in the United States support hail producing thunderstorms and how hail is formed. You will also learn how to assess crop damage from early to late season, and considerations for hail insurance coverage. Additional topics include:
- Replant My Crop - considerations when deciding whether to replant;
- Manage My Recovering Crop - mitigating yield losses to plant pathogens and infestation of insect pests;
- Are Cover Crops For Me? - planting cover crops is one post-hailstorm management strategy for your toolbox when replanting is not an option.
Visit the Hail Know website and follow them on Twitter @HailKnowUNL to learn more.
The Hail Know effort is funded by a USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture Smith-Lever Special Needs Grant with matching funds from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.