Today on Weather Realness, the US Drought Monitor says Champaign County is in a severe drought. We'll visit a local orchard and pumpkin patch to see how that's impacting this fall's crop. If you have a question about climate or weather, leave a voicemail at 217.333.2141.

To discuss the drought facing rivers across Illinois, its causes and effects, and why it matters, we were joined by the senior vice president of Waterways Council and the senior manager of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s River Forecast Center.

During 2019, the curveballs thrown at farmers began with the partial government shutdown in January, when some U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies were closed.

Despite a wet February in our part of Illinois, it’s been a dry winter for most of the U.S. That’s raising concerns about a repeat of 2012’s drought, the worst since the Dust Bowl that cost farmers, ranchers and governments $30 billion.

The world’s largest seed companies have their eye trained on Africa’s farming industry. A few, including St. Louis-based Monsanto, see drought-resistant corn as the key to an untapped market.

But some African civil service organizations are wary of the genetically modified seeds Monsanto hopes to introduce.