Mercer County farmer Jeff Kirwan spoke with Crain's Chicago Business about the drought and potential impact on agriculture. Kirwan told Crain's that he estimated the drought damage to date could cause a 20% reduction in crop yields in comparison to a normal year — assuming the region still gets some rain, that is. If the lack of rainfall continues with high daily temperatures, crop yield could be reduced by as much as 40% to 50%, he said.
Read the full article here.