Drought killing crops, driving up food prices

CINCINNATI - As the dry weather continues, it could cost your more than just a brown lawn.

You may have noticed your weekly trips to the grocer store are costing you more and more. Experts are saying that will continue through the summer months.

The worst drought in half a century is drying up crops, and driving up prices on everyday items like corn and soybeans.

Corn by the bushel is now costing more than double what it was just one month ago. Last week, only 31 percent of corn crops in the United States were rated good or excellent. The same time last year, 66 percent of corn crops were rated good or excellent.

The story is the same for soybeans. The crop is at an all-time high record price.

Corn and soybeans are used in many everyday products, like dry food. Prices for those items are expected to rise soon, too.

Experts say corn and soybeans are also used to feed livestock, which could end up making the impact of the drought even more dramatic. The price of feed for animals will be driven up, and in turn, so will the cost of meat products at the grocery.

More than half of the United States is experiencing a drought this summer, and June was ranked the third driest month nationally in more than 115 years.

Rain is expected this week, but experts say it's not enough to relieve the drought situation.

To read the full forecast, go to www.wcpo.com/forecast .