Record breaking heat and a withering drought is killing crops not only in the Bluegrass but all across the Midwest. That could mean higher prices for food, especially corn. This drought is shaping up to be the worst in more than 30 years.
"It has been dry before but I don't remember it every being this dry or this hot this early," says Sam Livesay, a Eubank, KY farmer.
And corn has been affected the most.
KY Agriculture Commissioner says, "Corn prices have risen 10% in the last few days. Corn is over $7 a bushel. Just to give a historical perspective most of my life corn has been around $3 a bushel and nothing leads to inflation more than increased corn prices. So it's going to have an affect at the grocery store, the gas pump, everywhere."
Most of us don't realize how many of our food and drink products have corn as a key ingredient. But think of this...soda, cereal, snacks, even meat will be affected by a shortage of corn.
"Things came earlier this year because of the mild spring. But also that means it will end early especially now that there's no rain," says Winchester, KY farmer, Mary Tyler.
"My profits are going to be very slim this year. Especially because the corn I planted was supposed to last all the way to September. Right now if we don't get rain in a couple weeks I'm going to be done," adds Livesay.
Each day the drought progresses not only will farmers suffer but consumers of nearly every product at the grocery store. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor about 41 percent of the nation is in some form of a drought at this time. If conditions don't improve soon food prices are expected to rise even more.