Rains in parts of the Midwest and intense heat in the East are causing significant concern for U.S. crops. The University of Illinois’ Farm Policy News says more wet weather continues to raise the fear of more flooding.
In the Midwest, the focus is on too much rain that could result in flooded corn and soybean fields, especially in the upper Midwest. Floodwaters have risen in northwest Iowa, where 13 rivers overflowed their banks. Entire neighborhoods and whole towns have been evacuated, and Spencer, Iowa, imposed a curfew Sunday for the second straight night after flooding that surpassed the 1953 record. Reports says that northern Nebraska, southeastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and northwest Iowa received eight times the typical average rainfall. And the forecast says more rain is on the way this week.
Fields around Mankato, Minnesota, were planted, drowned out, drained, got replanted, and have now drowned out again.