Plains Crops Suffer in Record Cold Snap

Temperatures dipped Friday to record lows from Idaho to Illinois to Texas on the last full day of summer, with a crop-killing freeze that damaged soybeans, corn and other grains.

Among the record-setting readings for the date was a temperature of 29 in Concordia, Kan., nine degrees below the old mark of 38 set in 1974. Kansas City, Mo., had a reading of 31 and Lincoln, Neb., dipped to 27.

Nebraska Agriculture Director Larry Sitzman said Thursday night that Nebraska’s farmers could suffer $400 million if the freeze forecasts were on target. They were. Preliminary estimates were that milo and soybean yields could drop by 50%. Early estimates put the corn loss at 15%.