"If I had a rain prayer or rain dance," says Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary.
Crops are dry in the midwest.
29 states are now primary natural disaster areas.
Tennessee and especially Chattanooga could have been one if it wasn't for recent rainfall. Meteorologist Patrick Core says the earlier months of growing season weren't the best.. But there's good news on the way.
"It looks like we're going to be in store for a better second half of the growing season than first half which is kind of unusual," says Core.
Local farmers say the earlier dry months hurt crops.
Dana Bleasdale, Fall Creek Farms says, "One way to protect against that is to over plant but that's just more work too."
Given the drought in many parts of the country local farmers are still able to produce a good crop here in Chattanooga.
Mark Tant, Tant Hill Farms says, "It, the heat takes a toll on a lot of plants anyway so it's kind of hard to stay on top of it. We're not as affected as the larger farmers but we can tell that it's a lot more work but we're staying there with it."
Lack of rain and high temperatures.. Can surprisingly be good for some vegetables.
"Some of them don't mind the heat, don't mind the drought, tomatoes love the drought," says Tant.
Others love the rain.. In moderation.
Core explains, "Some crops don't like too much rain too fast, like squash and crops like that the real stalky.. They tend to sour."
Local, fresh grown crops, are in stock here in the Tennessee Valley.
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