This grain could be an answer to drought-prone fields – if more Americans eat it
More farmers are showing interest in sorghum, a drought-tolerant grain. The crop is poised to expand in the U.S. – especially if Americans start consuming it.
Tag: drought
After drought and wildfires, wheat farmers in the Great Plains are in for a rough year
Nearly half of the U.S. winter wheat crop is in poor or very poor condition, following a tough growing season. Some farmers are choosing to leave their crop in the field
First climate monitoring station in Coles County begins collecting climate and weather data
The latest climate monitoring station in Illinois is in Coles County, and researchers with Prairie Research Institute have plans to expand the network even more.
The drought is over in Champaign County. Are more likely in the future?
The drought in Champaign County that began last fall finally ended in April.
These citizen scientists track frog calls to monitor ecosystem health
Volunteers with FrogWatch USA track frog calls during mating season to collect data about ecosystem health.
All this snow hasn’t done much to reduce drought in Central Illinois
The groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter. So does Illinois’ climatologist.
Decatur begins first phase of water rationing due to the ongoing drought
Officials said Lake Decatur’s water level continues to drop and drought conditions persist in the Lake Decatur watershed as much of central Illinois has received below average rainfall since mid-August 2025.
Drought is shrinking Mississippi River levels — again. That’s a big problem for farmers
Farmers rely on the Mississippi River to ship grain and bring them imported fertilizer and other critical inputs. But another year of low river levels means barge travel will be more expensive.
Moderate drought expected to persist in Central Illinois despite rain threats
The lack of rain has led to moderate drought for nearly all of McLean County. The far southeastern tip of the county is in severe drought, along with Champaign-Urbana and eastern Illinois.
Drought means ‘drier than normal.’ How will climatologists define drought if the new normal is dry?
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is developing a framework for assessing drought in a changing climate. It’s a difficult task, as what’s considered drought is often situational.
Drought delivers a big blow to wildlife already grappling with disease and habitat loss
Drought has scorched much of the Midwest and Great Plains for the last four years. Wildlife is also reckoning with the dry conditions – which can change animal behavior and even push species out of some regions.
Federal drought relief policies leave some farmers out to dry
Programs that provide drought relief to farmers use the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility, but some experts say it doesn’t always capture local conditions. On a recent fall day, as Wilburn Harris did the rounds on his cattle farm in the Missouri town of Drexel, he was met with brown grass, cracked
It’s warmer and drier than usual in the Midwest this fall. Here’s what that means for producers
Fall is typically a drier time of the year for the Great Plains and Midwest. But drought is once again rearing its head in much of the region, and experts are not seeing relief anytime soon. As Ralph Lents harvests corn and soybeans on his farm in southwest Iowa, he said some precipitation would be
Drought lingers in parts of the Midwest and Great Plains. ‘You have to have some hope’
Planting is well underway across the Midwest, but farmers are still grappling with dry conditions that led to lower than normal corn yields last fall. It’s the third year of a near historic drought for parts of the Corn Belt.
Tornado and drought damaged areas in Illinois will receive disaster funds
Farmers can apply for emergency loans after tornadoes and drought last spring.