DELMARVA — Deer damage has emerged as the top agricultural story on the Eastern Shore this week, with farmers in Dorchester County, Maryland reporting devastating soybean losses. Some fields have been stripped nearly clean by white-tailed deer and sika deer, with the sika identified as the primary culprit.
Wendell Meekins, who manages 17 farm properties south of Cambridge, described the sika deer’s feeding behavior as particularly destructive. “It’s like a goat, it will stand there and eat totally all the way around and then move on,” Meekins said. A dry spring compounded the problem by stunting soybeans at the 1- to 2-inch stage — prime height for deer browse.
Mike Knauer, president of the Dorchester County Farm Bureau, lost 25 acres in roughly one week this past spring at a cost of approximately $250 per acre. The Dorchester and Wicomico county farm bureaus have scheduled a joint meeting on August 25 to discuss possible solutions.
Markets
Grain futures posted solid gains Friday. September corn settled at $4.39½ per bushel, August soybeans closed at $11.91¾, and September Chicago wheat finished at $6.40¼.
At Laurel Grain Company in Laurel, Delaware, September corn is bidding $4.85 per bushel and November soybeans are at $11.41.
Forecast
Mostly cloudy skies are expected Saturday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high near 86°F. Tonight brings additional showers and storms before clearing, with a low around 68°F. Coastal flooding is possible along Delaware’s shorelines through 11 p.m. Sunday is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high near 84°F.
This article is based on the Delmarva Farm Report Update Morning Edition, July 11, 2026. Hosted by Tom Bradley.
