Posted August
15, 2005: Experts are already calling it the
worst drought since 1998 and with another dry one expected
today, relief for farmers across the Midwest has been
slow coming. Wells are drying up as are major rivers;
corn and soybean fields are wilting, while insects thrive.
Illinois, the country’s second-largest producer
of corn, has already reported a 12 percent drop in yields
compared to last year. But it’s not only in the
fields that farmers are facing the stress of a hotter
than usual summer they are also paying for it there
and back. Water levels have sunken so low this year
officials were forced to close a seven-mile stretch
of the Ohio River on Friday. This is just the latest
in ongoing weather related shipping issues that has
caused transportation costs to soar. Now commodity analysts
fear these added expenditures may price U.S. commodities
out of the reach of foreign markets. For more on this
story to go:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/15/national/15drought.html?th&emc=th
|
