Illinois Drought

Dry cracked earth are common on midwest farms this season.

Dought-damaged corn stalks July 15, 2012.

Corn is slow to grow with the lack of water.

Dry soil in Coles County.

High-yielding corn hybrids will be producing less bushels per acre this year.

Poor condition of midwest corn is cutting into profits and is driving global prices higher.

Weather conditions are driving farmers to their fields early to harvest corn.

Heat and drought have devastated corn yields.

The USDA declared Coles County one of the 65 Illinois natural disaster areas.

August 28, 2012: A bad year for corn farmers

Extreme drought conditions are taking their toll on central Illinois farmers.  In the past few months I documented midwest corn while traveling through Coles County in central Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in late August that 52 percent of that crop was listed as being in very poor shape. These poor condition are cutting into farmers' profits and is driving global prices higher.

Here are a few images from mid July and late August.

-john

All photos © 2012 John Konstantaras