Farmers in Corn Belt states have been very concerned about their crops this spring as drought expands across the Heartland.
The latest weekly report from the US Department of Agriculture shows the US corn crop deteriorated by the most in nearly three years as drought conditions worsened in the Midwest.
About 64% of the nation’s corn crop was rated good-to-excellent in the weekly report, a five percentage-point plunge that was the most significant decline since August 2020. The drop was more than double of any analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
According to the US Drought Monitor, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, often called the “Corn Belt” states, are experiencing “exceptional drought” to “moderate drought.” The timing of the drought, this early in the season, could stress young plants.
I live in the buckeye and can confirm. No rain in about a month. My garden is not happy.
We are surrounded by farms and all the new plantings are stressed. Knee high by the 4th of July, I don’t think the corn will make it this year. -Stella