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00000179-2419-d250-a579-e41d38650002Issues of food, fuel, and field affecting Illinois.

Weather The Top Issue At Farm Progress Show

Bill Wheelhouse/Harvest Public Media

Hot weather has been greeting visitors to this years Farm Progress Show in Decatur.  And as the show enters its final day Thursday, the head of a national trade group says weather is also on the mind of midwest farmers attending the event. 

The recent dry spell in the midwest is causing some worries.   Pam Johnson, a northern Iowa farmer who is president of the National Corn Growers Association, says that's been the number one concern she's heard from show visitors:

"Is the rest of the growing season going to be favorable with the weather challenges we had this spring? A lot of people are facing drought now, so I think that is the main thing," Johnson commented.

And weather from earlier this year is putting a crimp in one of the show's events.  Because of the late planting of corn and cooler weather earlier in the summer, the crop isn't ready for harvest. That means visitors won't see demonstrations of the latest models of combines.

Bill is a former general manager, economy reporter, Harvest correspondent and Statehouse Bureau Chief for NPR Illinois. He has won several awards including the Associated Press Best Investigative Reporter.
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