U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Michael Scuse is on a farm tour across the Midwest.

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His latest stops are bringing him to Delphi and Whiteland. Today, he's visiting the John and Brian Scott Farm in Delphi. It's part of the fed's effort to assess the devastating impact of the drought and heatwave on farms in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. USDA officials will also tour other states as far west as Texas. They're determining the amount of federal aid that will be offered farmers to augment state and local relief.

Terri Scott of Scott Farm says the drought has killed about half of their corn crop. Scott says her family has farmed for decades and they've never seen a drought like the current one. She says they'll give federal officials a tour in their request for assistance. Scott adds that everyone should care about how the drought is affecting farmers because consumers will soon feel the impact higher food prices as a result. Scuse is set to visit Kelsay farms in Whiteland Thursday morning.