Kansas Corn Crop Withering Away Under Devastating Drought
Kansas farmers are facing a devastating drought that has taken a toll on their corn crops. Paige Clawson, a southwestern Kansas farmer and member of the Kansas Corn Commission Board, saw some of the best dryland yields in her lifetime at the end of the 2025 harvest. However, timely November and December rains gave way to intense heat and drought in 2026.
The wheat crop was particularly affected, withering away after a promising start due to lack of moisture. 'The oven turned on,' Clawson said, describing the conditions. 'We just roasted all summer long without much moisture.'
Juvenile pollination problems and tipback were also common issues for many farmers in the region. In Sheridan County, Brent Rogers, a farmer and member of the Kansas Corn Commission Board, reported similar conditions.
Rogers attributed the severity of the drought to the mild winter without moisture, which left the soil dry and barren at the start of spring. 'Anybody who has any crop at all that's left, they just got lucky and had some timely rains that kept things alive,' he said.