Crop Conditions: Weather is taking a toll on the growing season

Weather was a big factor in this week’s condition rating, and while heat has taken over much of the country, rain is now pushing in, threatening parts of the Midwest.

Portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa have received eight times the typical rainfall over the last several days, and more could be on the way, according to the National Weather Service. The moisture is threatening hay harvest in some areas, leaving farmers with a worthless product.

It is a different story for overseas growers, however. Heat in the Black Sea Region is threatening sunflower and corn yields. Large areas of Russia, China, and India are experiencing extreme temperatures combined with below-average rainfall.

This weather pattern helped push prices to a 10-month high last month.

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