December's Snow Storm Could Pay Dividends for Farmers

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) -- Wintry clouds that dumped a sheet of ice and more than a foot of snow across parts of Illinois earlier this month could have a silver lining for the state's grain farmers, officials said Monday.

Weather and farm officials say the already melted ice and snow now is seeping deep into fields, providing a moist savings account for next year's corn and soybean crops. (Read the full story here.) -ERIC