In its monthly Drought Outlook, the National Weather Service says drought will persist in northern Missouri and southeastern Iowa through August, a key month for crop development. An estimated 15 percent of soybean land and 11 percent of corn land nationwide is in drought, with Missouri affected the most.
The USDA Ag in Drought site said 84 percent of Missouri is affected by moderate to extreme drought. Missouri grows 6 percent of U.S. soybeans and 3 percent of U.S. corn. A small portion of Iowa, the No. 1 corn state, and part of western Illinois, the No. 1 soybean state, are in moderate drought. Drought also covers sizable portions of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas.
The Drought Outlook said that improvement is likely during August in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas but that drought could spread in Texas, where nearly 60 percent of the state is affected. A week ago, 50 percent of the state was in drought.
