Drought Worries Climb In Southeast

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – Scattered showers over the last few weeks have not eased extreme drought hurting farmers in and around the Chattanooga area.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports (http://bit.ly/2arV9Gl ) the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows extreme drought conditions in about half of Hamilton, Marion and Franklin counties as well as nearby counties in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.

Georgia is driest, with the entire northern half of the state in extreme or severe drought.

Norman Edwards is an agricultural extension agent for Walker County, Georgia. He says tougher crops like cotton and soybeans are surviving, but the corn crop is gone and so is most of the hay.

Livestock is also suffering. Pastureland across the region is so dry most beef farmers are having to feed their cattle hay.