Farmers struggle as dry weather blankets East

By JENNIFER C. YATES Associated Press Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Many farmers are struggling in inland areas of the eastern U.S., where rainfall has been as much as a foot less than normal this year.

Accuweather meteorologist Tom Kines says the driest areas have been in Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic, Ohio and parts of New Jersey up to Maine.

Pennsylvania officials put 24 counties under a drought warning and the rest of the state under a drought watch last week, and some farmers are harvesting corn early because it's drying out.

Maryland agriculture officials expect the state's corn production to be down 30 percent from last year.

Still, the drought-like conditions haven't been widespread enough to affect consumers, who are more likely to notice brown lawns than higher grocery bills.