‘The Worst It’s Been Since the 50s’

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A bad situation is getting worse. That’s the top line from farmers, ranchers, and water managers as the state’s drought marches on. Over the past year, Colorado’s had about 30% less precipitation than average. The US Department of Agriculture has declared two-thirds of Colorado’s counties “disaster areas,” and that includes every county on the eastern plains. Host Ryan Warner will talk to Joel Schneekloth, of CSU Extention, about a new type of corn that's genetically modified to withstand drought. First, CPR’s Zachary Barr takes us to a farm in northeastern Colorado.

Photo: a winter wheat field in Kansas. [credit: jonathan moreau/flickr]