Indiana crop conditions continue to deterioriate daily as the drought worsens to a level not seen since 1988. The state's corn crop has fallen off to a level of just 19 percent being rated as good to excellent by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As of July 1, more than 90 percent of the crop acres were rated as short to very short for soil moisture. As a majority of the corn crop enters the crucial and sensitive pollination period, there is little chance for recovery. Without cooler weather and rain, the corn could lose up to 10 percent yield potential daily.

Purdue Extension agricultural economist Chris Hurt estimated that as of July 1, Indiana had already lost 20 percent of expected corn yields-down to 133 bushels per acre, compared with 166 expected at spring planting.

Hurt says there is still hope for the soybean crop. It still has time to recover if the weather coioperates. Indiana is listed as the worst hit of the major corn and soybean producing states