Peoria Journal Star: No place more parched

[cubschicago]

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/072005/TRI_B71KC5LT.046.shtml

PEORIA - It's official. Peoria is the driest spot in drought-stricken Illinois.
That's according to the Illinois Agricultural Statistics Service, which reported Monday that only 2.21 inches of rain have fallen in Peoria since May 1.

Peoria, one of 40 designated recording stations around the state, is 7.89 inches below the normal rainfall for this time of year. Other prognosticators peg Peoria's rainfall shortage even higher. AccuWeather, the nation's largest private weather service, estimates Peoria rainfall at nearly 8.5 inches below normal for the year.

Dunlap farmer Kevin Herman doesn't need a weather report to know conditions are bad in his cornfields. He compares this year's dry spell to the drought of 1988, a disastrous year for Illinois corn farmers.

[Erika]

1. Global warming is shifting ag regions

Dramatically. The ag growing regions are drying up. I guess that's ok if you are a corporate farmer. Bush will shift our taxes to corporatism.