Drought worsens in Plains, despite cooler temps

If that estimate holds, the federal government says it will be enough to meet the world's needs and ensure there are no shortages. But experts say food prices will almost certainly climb — corn is widely used in products ranging from cosmetics to cereal, colas to candy bars.

While just 1 percent of the nation's corn crop is brought in from the fields by this time of year, the USDA said Monday in its weekly crop progress report that 4 percent of the harvest is complete. The reaping is farther along in Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In an occupation that's at nature's mercy, "we've got to calculate we're gonna lose a crop once in a while and calculate that into our expenses," said Nelson, whose northeastern Nebraska farmland is about 60 percent corn, the rest soybeans. "Sometimes it's heat, drought, excessive rains, bugs, winds. I guess that's what keeps us coming back for next year."