Tomatoes taste sour? Blame it on the weather.
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Tomatoes taste sour? Blame it on the weather.

Date: September 8, 2009
By: Christine Slusser
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 

University of Missouri's Agricultural Department warns the wet, mild weather will have an effect on crops.

Christine Slusser has more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missouri's unruly weather has already affected tomatoes and watermelons.

University of Missouri's Agricultural Department says the cold, wet season is making tomatoes taste bitter.

Deanna Pickering, the owner Pick & Pick Farms in Columbia says her tomato crops have already suffered.

Actuality:  PICK3.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "The tomatoes aren't quite as tasty as they should be because of the cool weather. The cool nights, I think, affects the tastes of the tomatoes. Anything else, not really."

Superintendent of the University of Missouri's Research Farm says watermelon taste is also suffering.

The melon swells bigger from the water but is not as sweet.

From the state Capitol, I'm Christine Slusser.

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Intro: 

The University of Missouri's Agricultural Department says more fungicides could be needed on your fruits this season.

Christine Slusser has more from the state Capitol.

RunTime:  0:36
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The Department says the fungus is due to Missouri's cold, wet growing season.

Jacob Holman with Les Bourgeois (BOO-ZWAH) Winery in Columbia has already experienced some of the negative affects of the wet season.

Actuality:  HOLMAN.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "We have to keep on with our fungicides a little heavier than we normally would so that would be two things, that would be a cost there that we wouldn't have to do in a dry year..."

Holman says another cost is the loss of crops due to rotting.

The soil is too moist and therefore is growing more fungus. 

From the state Capitol, I'm Christine Slusser.

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Intro: 

The University of Missouri's Agricultural Department says an early frost would be detrimental to Missouri's crops.

Christine Slusser has more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:  0:31
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The Department says farmers are already harvesting early, which means smaller crops.

Farm Analysis Specialist Norman Rohrback (ROAR-BACK) with the University says corn could be smaller this year.

Actuality:  ROHRBACK.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "Farmers have started harvesting corn earlier than normal this year just because of the wet weather, they're trying to get the corn out of the field."

Rohrback says farmers are harvesting early because they are fearful of wet conditions and an early frost.

From the state Capitol, I'm Christine Slusser

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