North Carolina Weekly Crop Survey – June 7, 2026
Drought Impact Analysis From Extension Agents Across the State
Drought Impact (County Reported)
Select a level to isolate it on the map.
Comment Signal
Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Some relief / conditions improving
Uneven rainfall / mixed conditions
Persistent drought / little change
Map of county-reported drought impact
Every county on this map is listed, grouped by impact level, at the end of this page under “View county data as a list”.
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Statewide Trends
Drought conditions persist statewide with many counties reporting Severe, Extreme, or Exceptional classifications.
Pasture and hay availability is declining across regions, with limited first-cutting hay and continued feeding in some areas.
Corn and soybean fields are exhibiting visible drought stress, including leaf rolling and stalled growth, leading to reported yield loss.
Irrigation demand has increased while ponds, streams, and some wells are falling, limiting water availability for producers.
Tobacco and other specialty crops are showing sporadic stands, poor germination in places, and production impacts without additional rainfall.
Top Statewide Concerns
- Pasture and hay shortages
- Reduced corn and grain yields
- Increased irrigation demand
- Low ponds, streams, and wells
- Poor germination / replanting
- Livestock forage availability
Regional summaries
West / Mountains & Foothills
(Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Haywood, Iredell, Macon, McDowell, Watauga, Yancey)
- Multiple counties report Severe to Extreme Drought with topsoil cracking and slowed plant growth.
- Pastures are most affected: limited first-cutting hay, some producers still feeding hay and experiencing forage shortages.
- Corn, soybeans, vegetables, and fruit crops are showing moisture stress and slowed development.
Piedmont / Sandhills
(Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davie, Guilford, Hoke, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Wake, Yadkin)
- Many counties are in Severe or Extreme Drought with delayed planting, poor germination, and reports of replanting needs.
- Hay yields are low and pasture growth is reduced, increasing concern for livestock producers.
- Producers report increased irrigation needs, dry wells in some areas, and visible crop stress in corn and tobacco.
North & Central Coastal Plain
(Camden, Craven, Franklin, Hertford, Lenoir, Pamlico, Perquimans, Wayne)
- Drought ranges from Moderate to Exceptional, with some crops viable only where frequent rainfall occurred.
- High temperatures and minimal soil moisture are causing significant crop stress and reported yield losses.
- Vegetable, tobacco, and staple row crops are showing drought impacts and limited recovery without substantial rain.
Southeast Coastal Plain
(Bladen, Brunswick, Duplin, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, Sampson)
- Severe to Moderate Drought with visible leaf rolling and canopy drooping in corn and other crops.
- Irrigation ponds and rivers are declining; irrigation activity has increased to maintain soil moisture.
- Soybeans, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and vegetables are exhibiting slowed growth and stress symptoms.
County Comments Highlights (selected notes from impact and additional comments)
Craven
Crops remain viable only in areas that have received frequent rainfall.
Burke
Dry conditions persist; recent rains eased some stress on crops and hay.
Cabarrus
Hay was delayed with short cuttings and low yield; strawberry production impacted; two farmers rely 100% on rainfall, one farm with dry well issues.
Macon
Drought continues to linger; significant rainfall expected in four days, with pastures most affected and some producers still feeding hay.
Person
Drought conditions continue with high temperatures, wind, and lack of rain; corn looks bad; tobacco is sporadic; pastures and hay fields drying up.
Bladen
Drought and heat stress in corn; leaf roll after weeks without rain; soybean and peanut growth slowed.
Chatham
No precipitation for 7 days worsened drought, stressing pastures, hay fields, crops, and water supplies; significant rainfall is needed.
Guilford
Producers report crop stress, reduced pasture growth, increased irrigation needs for vegetables, and declining pond levels as dry conditions continue.
Robeson
Soil moisture is rapidly declining with corn under stress; irrigation is used, leaves rolling; soybeans planting paused, southern part drier, cotton and soybeans hanging in there.
Sampson
Drought is increasing; the Coharie, South, and Black Rivers are drying, irrigation is up, and corn shows heat‑stress symptoms.
Yadkin
Dry conditions persist; crops are growing slowly, including corn, soybeans, and flue-cured tobacco, with winter small grains drying down for harvest and only small showers in parts of Surry County while Yadkin County had none since May 25.
Anson
Soil moisture has improved, but growers are monitoring corn, cotton, soybean, hay, and pasture conditions as lingering drought deficits impact this season.
County analysis as a list
View county analysis as a list
Exceptional Drought (1 county)
- Craven - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Extreme Drought (8 counties)
- Burke - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Cabarrus - Persistent drought / little change
- Davie - Persistent drought / little change
- Macon - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Montgomery - Persistent drought / little change
- Orange - Persistent drought / little change
- Person - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Randolph - Persistent drought / little change
Severe Drought (14 counties)
- Alexander - Persistent drought / little change
- Bladen - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Camden - Persistent drought / little change
- Chatham - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Cleveland - Persistent drought / little change
- Duplin - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Franklin - Persistent drought / little change
- Iredell - Some relief / conditions improving
- Lenoir - Persistent drought / little change
- McDowell - Persistent drought / little change
- Stokes - Persistent drought / little change
- Wake - Persistent drought / little change
- Watauga - Persistent drought / little change
- Yancey - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Moderate Drought (13 counties)
- Caswell - Persistent drought / little change
- Guilford - Persistent drought / little change
- Haywood - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Hertford - Persistent drought / little change
- Hoke - Some relief / conditions improving
- Onslow - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Pamlico - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Pender - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
- Perquimans - Persistent drought / little change
- Robeson - Persistent drought / little change
- Sampson - Persistent drought / little change
- Surry - Persistent drought / little change
- Yadkin - Persistent drought / little change
Abnormally Dry (5 counties)
- Anson - Persistent drought / little change
- Brunswick - Persistent drought / little change
- Caldwell - Some relief / conditions improving
- Stanly - Persistent drought / little change
- Wayne - Worsening / crop stress intensifying
Note: Map reflects county-reported drought classifications from the June 7, 2026 survey. Comment signal summarizes the tone of county narrative responses. Counties without a clearly mapped report remain unshaded.