Intense heat in July affecting state's agricultural industry, farmers say

North Carolina’s recent string of intense heat isn’t just taking its toll on people but on the state’s $100 billion agricultural industry.

In particular, for farmers at the State Farmer’s Market.

A majority of the days in July have had heat well over 90, and as recently as Friday and Saturday, had temps pushing 100 degrees.

Jessica Higgins with L&G Farms was grateful for the access to fans inside the market.

“Well, in here, thank goodness, we have our fans. We have a pretty good breeze,” Higgins said. “Back out in the field, I’m sure it’s been a pretty tough year for them.”

The heat and spotty rain, according to Phoebe Creech with Penny’s Produce, has been particularly damaging for corn crops,

Creech said without a proper irrigation system, most of their corn would have withered away weeks ago.

“Yes, the rain is on and off. We haven’t gotten rain in about a week, and we’re having to irrigate,” Creech said. “It would just be dry. The corn would not develop all the way.”

Across the row at L&G farms, Higgins says it's been a similar story for one of her crops.

“Okra has been something that, I think, the weather truly affected this year,” Higgins said.

Despite the heat, Higgins said her farm, like thousands of others across the state, is making do with the situation and continuing to bring produce to the market, one bushel at a time.