Radio Newsline

Despite extreme dryness in the West Coast sweet cherry growing states, this year's crop faired well, meaning more sweet cherries this summer. (Rod Bain and Lance Honig of the National Agricultural Statistics Service)

Expanding drought has the concern of ag producers expanding as well, including growers of crops such as tree fruits, tree nuts and hay. (Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey)

It is not just the West that recorded increased drought coverage over the last month. (Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey)

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, discusses how drought coverage across the country, has continued to expand, as reflected in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, discusses how expanding drought conditions around the county could impact hay production and supplies.

USDA meteorologist, Brad Rippey, points out some of the nation's farm commodities covered in drought for the four-week period ending June 29th.

Some wheat growers this year are bucking the long-term trend of cutting wheat acres. (Gary Crawford. Lance Honig with USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Seth Meyer, USDA Chief Economist)

Growers of many crops are boosting planted acreage this year, but not cotton growers. (Gary Crawford, Lance Honig with USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Seth Meyer, USDA Chief Economist)

USDA is encouraging landowners to voluntarily participate in programs that restore farmland to environmentally beneficial wetlands. (Stephanie Ho and Carrie Lindig, NRCS Easement Programs Division Director)

USDA is taking a look at all of its funding opportunities -- including its wetlands restoration program -- to prioritize outreach to historically underserved producers. (Stephanie Ho and Carrie Lindig, NRCS Easement Programs Division Director)