Ongoing Heat Bad News for Commonwealth's Corn Crop

Kentucky's corn crop took a sharp turn for the worse during last week's record-breaking heat, and nearly half the crop is in poor condition as a drought lingers in some key producing areas.

Farmers planted the state's largest corn crop in more than a quarter-century this spring, but brutal weather conditions are setting many up for disappointment at the fall harvest.

A new agriculture report says 29% of the statewide corn crop is in poor condition and 19% is very poor. Another 32% of the crop is fair, 19% good and 1% excellent.

It says the amount of corn rated good to excellent declined 19% in one week.

Some areas have received welcome rain recently, but others have stayed dry.