Rain falls at Washington Co. Fair, farmers say it won't help much

WEST BEND -- A brief soaking Thursday afternoon, July 26th had Washington County Fair-goers running for cover. Farmers say the rain won't cover their losses to the corn crop. Meanwhile, the federal government says just how much the loss of corn will affect us all at the grocery store.

Storms moved into Washington County Thursday afternoon, though farmers say the hot and dry summer has already taken its toll.

Allen Dornacker has 4,000 acres of corn near West Bend. He watched as the high winds and rain caused fair-goers to race into buildings Thursday afternoon. He says more storms earlier this summer would have helped his crops, but now, it won't help much.

"It could still grow plant height, which makes feed for animals," Dornacker said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says consumers can expect up to 5% higher prices by the end of this year and the beginning of next year due to 88% of the nation's corn crop being affected by the drought.

First, poultry prices will go up. The largest price increase could be beef, by as much as 5% next year. An estimate for pork is a 3.5% increase.

Farmers at the Washington County Fair say next year's livestock auction may be interesting as farmers could fetch higher returns for their animals.

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