America's corn belt farmers face uncertainty after rain … and more rain

Cold, rainy weather has meant severe planting delays for farmers from Ohio to Nebraska - and next week's acreage report takes on heightened importance

In his 32 years of farming, Steve Fourez says he's almost never been so late planting corn and soybean crops on the 500 acres he farms in east-central Illinois.

Normally by the start of May he's finished planting corn, and soybeans are seeded soon after. This year, Fourez said, he wrapped up planting on 6 June, as cold, grey and rainy weather kept him idle. Fourez's experience is playing out across the corn belt, a deeply fertile agricultural region stretching roughly from Ohio to Nebraska.