Hailstorm Destroys Crops in Northwest Kansas: One Farmer's Story

Farming in Kansas means living with a unique mix of hope and uncertainty. With every forecast that hints at rain, there’s also the looming threat of hail, tornadoes, and other unpredictable weather events that can destroy months of hard work in just one afternoon.

This past week, that possibility became a harsh reality for Chad Wolf, a farmer in northwestern Kansas. I spoke with Chad about the storm and the damage left behind.

“Rain is always important—especially when you get into July and August in northwest Kansas,” he said. “But in the area hit by the hailstorm on Sunday evening, we had actually missed most of the good rain chances earlier in the weekend and at the end of last week.”

Unfortunately, the storm wasn’t the first blow to his operation this season.

“With the exception of some ground I farm west of town, we’ve seen damage on pretty much everything—and in most cases, substantial damage,” Chad explained.

One field in particular was hit hard enough that insurance adjusters made a rare call for this time of year: they zeroed it out. “It’s kind of unusual for them to go ahead and zero that crop out this early,” he added.

So what happens next when a field is declared a total loss?

“In most cases, there’s really not going to be much grain produced,” Chad said. “It becomes a question of whether there’s any value left in it—maybe for silage or hay. But in my case, there’s not even enough out there to justify either.”

These types of challenges are a stark reminder of the risks Kansas farmers face each season.