America's breadbasket is emptying: Corn is dying

The searing heat sparked derechos, which shut electrical power off to millions, the heat stayed and with no way to get cool, tempers flared. Millions were displaced. Business stopped.

That was a cascading series of events, which the heat is also causing another series right now: the corn is dying.

The heat is exacerbating the drought problem, and it is impacting corn pollination. The nation's breadbasket is drying up, and the future for grains looks poor. In fact, the corn is dying all over America.

These are comments from farmers on AgWeb: an interactive board of farmers making crop comments

7/10 - Lyon County, Iowa: Boy, did things change around here. After a wet May the rains shut off. Total of 8 tenths in June and none so far In July.

7/10 - Cass County, Mich.: The fields are dry and in need of rain like everywhere else. Fields being watered are running 24/7 and will be expensive at years end. Feels like the summer of 1988, all dry land corn will be considered a loss and the beans are not far behind the corn, but can hold up a little better at times, WE STILL NEED RAIN.

7/10 - Lincoln County, S.D.: Corn on corn or old alfalfa ground will be zero to 5 bushel. Corn-on-soybean ground maybe 50-80 BPA if it rains soon (at least it tasseled). Soybeans look ok, may still yield above crop insurance if it can rain. We lifted the KP out of the way and put in the grass chutes to start cutting corn silage!

7/10 - Wayne County, Ill.: I am a small farmer, but my crops in Wayne County, Ill., are the worst I have had sine 1952-53. Corn will be lucky to make 10 bu. and beans are going downhill. It’s been over 100 degrees for 11 straight days. Bad crop.

7/10 - DeKalb County, Ind.: Finally got my internet back up and running after the storms last week, lots of people lost power for a few days, lots of wind damage but no rain out of it in my area. We had a high of 110 degrees Thursday and hot winds. I looked at some corn today and its 3 to 5 feet tall, part tasseling and almost no ears forming. Most corn is probably ruined here. I drove into northern Ohio and just as bad, beans, same story: poor stands, short, some trying to blossom.

7/10 - Miami County, Ind.: I was still a bit optimistic a week ago. The heat has eased and the corn is now rolling even with somewhat cooler temps. Also, some firing starting to show in some fields. Spider mites are now being seen in a few bean fields. Ten day forecast doesn’t look good either. How soon before this becomes the top story in the national news?

Indeed! You know, corn is in most of what we eat.

Corn Belt heat wave breaks, but this week's rains light
"The extreme heat and drought conditions are hitting the core of the U.S. Midwest just as the region's big corn crop pollinates, the key yield-determining growth phase for corn. Drought conditions intensified the past week across the central United States, causing irrevocable damage to crops in Missouri, Indiana and even southern Illinois, where farmers are cutting stunted corn for silage, a low grade feed for cattle. U.S. crop condition ratings for corn and soybeans fell last week, and grain traders expected the U.S. Department of Agriculture's weekly report later Monday to show further deterioration. Crops will need rain to have much chance of rebounding, and forecasts looked mostly dry for the next 10 days from the central U.S. Plains across Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois."

The heat, the lack of rain, the lowering water table, the no-pollination, the loss of power, all combine into factors that will come to fruition at the Tribulation, when wheat will be so scarce that a loaf of bread will cost a day's pay. Even barley will be no bargain. (Rev 6:6). Can you see how one thing leads to another and the consequences yield up like a clam under the sand spitting water into the air? The whole world is percolating like that now. The consequences from the radiation at Japans' damaged nuclear reactor Fukushima is coming home to roost a year later in the fish we see off Hawaii.

Anyway, food is a huge issue right now, being so expensive it is unavailable to many in the 'wealthy' US never mind around the world. The Lord is constricting us. He is merciful and gives us time to come to a saving knowledge of Him. He is loving and desires no one be lost. Please acknowledge your sins now and turn to the Savior who will save you from eternal condemnation. These happenings are not accidents, they are last stage warning signs of a God whose patience is longsuffering Itself, but is coming to an end.