{{articledata.title}}

%Agriculture analysts say that rain is needed across the U.S. Midwest to fend off %Drought conditions that have been worsening in recent weeks as summer temperatures scorch crops of soybeans and corn.

July is shaping up to be the driest month of the growing season so far, threatening yields of corn and soybeans heading into the tail end of the growing season.

Temperatures are expected to get even hotter during the final week of July and heading into August, with only a few areas of the central U.S. expecting rain in coming days.

The situation is impacting the expected crop yields for corn and soybeans this year.

The average corn yield, for example, has declined to 3.27 from 3.34 over the past week, while the average soybean yield dropped to 3.59 from 3.61.

Yield potential is measured on a scale of one to five. A score of one is considered “very poor,” three is viewed as an “average crop yield,” and a rating of five is seen as “excellent.”

Farming zones in the U.S. Midwest and in western parts of the country have been particularly

dry for the past three weeks, so any moisture is viewed as necessary to help crops recover.

Analysts continue to be more optimistic about soybean yields this year than corn.

Conditions have been particularly hot and dry in the corn belt region of Kansas in recent weeks, diminishing expectations for this year’s crop.