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HOLY CROP: Michigan's latest flood shows both positive and negative affects on local farms

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  • After floods entered Mid-Michigan, many cities were impacted.
  • Local farmer Robert Reese says that the rain did the opposite for the farm. Helping to speed up growth of crops while only damaging few.
  • Video shows Reese talking about the positives and negatives of excessive water.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

I'm your neighborhood reporter Russell Shellberg here in DeWitt. We've shown you how the recent flood has affected roads and property, but what about crops? I'm speaking with local farmers to find out.

As the heavy rain came into Mid-Michigan, so did worries for local farmer Robert Reese.

But that fear soon faded...

"You always use the lawn by the driveway. If you look out the window, whether good or bad, there wasn't that much water there," said Reese.

Still, Reese says that the storm brought in roughly two inches of water—an amount that will provide some benefits.

"When we have adequate rain, we can grow some nice sweet corn. If you don't have that water, it doesn't have that extra good flavor," said Reese.

While that extra flavor is a bonus, it's not all positive.

Reese says that some accumulation ruined a batch of soybeans. But he's looking at the glass half full.

"In the grand scheme of life, to lose a small percentage, to gain everything else... is still a net gain," said Reese.

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