A resurgence of drought in the Midwest and the lower Mississippi Valley is hurting the 2013 corn and soybean crops. With a growing percentage of U.S. corn and soybeans being rated as fair, poor or very poor because of the drought, feed supplies look to fall short of earlier expectations.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meteorologist Brad Rippey, responding to the U.S. Drought Monitor report on September 5, said about half of the country is in drought, spurred by heat and a lack of rainfall during late August and early September.
During a USDA radio broadcast, Rippey reported 52 percent of the U.S. corn production area was in drought during the first week of September, a 7 percent increase from the last week in August. Soybeans have also seen an increased risk, with 42 percent of the soybean production region in drought during early September, compared to 38 percent of the area in drought during the previous week.
About 44 percent of the U.S. corn crop and 46 percent of the U.S. soybean crop has been rated poor, very poor or fair, Rippey said.
