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Derecho Damage, Heat and Drought Threaten Iowa Bumper Corn Crop

Corn Conditions Worsen as Iowa Faces Drought, Derecho Damage

The corn crop in the U.S. Midwest deteriorated the most in 8 years with hot weather adding to woes from drought and the Aug. 10 derecho windstorm that swept through the top-growing state of Iowa.

Crop ratings of “good” or “excellent” fell by 5 percentage points to 64%, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday. Ratings fell in 16 of the 18 states monitored by the agency.

Derecho Damage, Heat and Drought Threaten Iowa Bumper Corn Crop

While experts were still assessing damage from the wind storm that flattened corn fields in central and east-central Iowa, arid weather was taking a toll elsewhere. That could mean American farmers won’t harvest the record-large corn crop USDA predicted on Aug. 12.

“Drought conditions continue to expand across the region as widespread rains have not yet materialized,” Justin Glisan, Iowa state climatologist, said in a report.

Derecho Damage, Heat and Drought Threaten Iowa Bumper Corn Crop

Next week, the region should get some relief. Temperatures are likely to fall and the region will get some much-needed rain, according to Don Keeney, a meteorologist with commercial forecaster Maxar.

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