SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Farmers are hoping for a wet June as several counties begin to see the impact of a lack of rain.

Some in Central Missouri are seeing the most extreme conditions, and are now under a drought alert. In the southwest part of the state, several counties are classified as abnormally dry.

“The drought is becoming very impactful, particularly on the beef,” Gary Nokes said. “The grass was very slow to come on this year due to a dry winter and a cold spring. Coming out of the winter, most of us are almost out of hay anyway. So we were kind of starting at zero.”

Nokes works on his farm in St. Clair County, an area classified moderate drought conditions

“These pastures will not produce the grass for cows to eat it just directly,” Nokes said. “Some people have already sold cows because they know they’re just aren’t going to have it to feed them.”

Nokes is hoping he has enough hay to feed his cows. Other farmers are hoping they have enough produce to feed their customers.

“Being right here in the middle of town, there’s no way I can grow the amount of produce to meet the demand I have on a daily basis,” Dan Bigbee said. “I go out on a weekly basis once, twice, sometimes more to several different produce auctions. If they’re in drought conditions and I’m unable to purchase product that affects things right here in Springfield.”

Bigbee said his farm, Fassnight Creek Farm, is in good shape going into summer because of some springtime rain.

“We were a little bit dry before we got the rain, but nowhere close to a drought,” Bigbee said. “It was nice to have the dry, but it was nice to get a bunch of stuff planted and have the rain come right in behind it.”

Bigbee said nothing will compare to last year’s summer drought, which brought scorching heat with it.

“A lot of the fruiting plants, pollen will go sterile at 100 degrees, 96, 97,” Bigbee said. “You’re working real hard to keep stuff irrigated and then it’s too hot. It’s just the extremes that really throw us a curveball.”

Now, farmers hope conditions will stay moderate this summer to keep their business on track.