Wet weather kept many farmers from getting agricultural equipment out to their fields, which ended up delaying planting. Along with keeping farm equipment under wraps, the Times noted the rainy weather led to poor pollination and an increase in weather-related diseases, such as blight.
The Times stated that a county must see a 30 percent loss of crops in order to be declared an agricultural disaster area.
"Losses are still being tallied, but most counties in New York and New Jersey have been declared agricultural disaster areas, and Connecticut is awaiting word from the federal government on the same declaration for nearly all of its counties," the Times report said.
Those states are not alone when it comes to being harried by poor weather for farmers. From Wisconsin to Louisiana, all types of crops have faced difficulties because of an excess of rain. Along with delaying planting, the wet weather is causing farmers to have to harvest later in the year and during darker hours, which makes collecting crops more dangerous.
