Disaster aid considered crucial as harvest disappoints

Crops in areas of Montana have had much more rain this year than in the last few years, but that might not be enough to keep all farmers and ranchers in business.

After heavy rains and snow fell in early June, ag producers and experts in some parts of north-central Montana said yields of crops could be near normal. But two weeks of extreme heat and other factors have proven them wrong.

Peggy Stringer, state agriculture statistician, said the estimate of average yields in the state for winter wheat dropped three bushels an acre to 33 bushels and spring wheat dropped six bushels an acre to 22...