Questions raised about climate change following drought Submitted by Denise Molina on Mon, 10/01/2012 - 7:16am Feature For Midwest farmers, this summer was brutal. In McLean County, soybean and corn crops struggled to survive through short, rare rains while dairy cows and livestock endured intense heat. By June, the drought covered more than half the United States. As Illinois Public Radio’s Daniel Hajek reports in the final installment of the News Series "Farming: A Growing Concern" this record-breaking season raises questions about climate change in the Illinois heartland.