The latest report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows over 96-million acres of corn was planted this spring. Even though that is the second highest number of corn acres planted since 1937 there is a big problem.
USDA Meteorologist Eric Leubehusen Corn Belt farmers are fighting extremely high temperatures, up to 115-degrees in some areas and extremely dry conditions.
"Over half of the country, over 51-percent is in some degree of drought, moderate drought or greater. An astonishing 72-percent is abnormally dry or greater."
Leubehusen says just a hair under half of all the corn planted is in a drought area.
"49-percent of US corn in under moderate drought or greater. State by state breakdown shows that more that 80-percent of the corn crop is under drought in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and in fact Indiana it is nearly 90-percent."
Then when you add extreme heat as we experienced this week and remains in the forecast plants continue to show signs of stress.
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