Calif. Almond Growers Seek Delay of Rule

Raw almonds are shown on a roasting tray in this file photo taken Monday, June 25, 2007 at the Sherman Thomas Ranch in Madera, Calif. The largest organization of almond growers has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to wait six months before enforcing a new rule requiring all California almonds to be pasteurized, saying farmers couldn't handle such a big change in time to meet the original deadline. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian) (Gary Kazanjian - AP)

On the Net:

Almond Board of California: http://www.almondsarein.com

___

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ State officials have declared a drought watch across most of Pennsylvania, and asked residents to curtail water use while the dryness continues.

While they say reservoirs appear to be in good shape, farm officials warned that the state's corn crop could sustain significant damage, and weather forecasters said the dry spell should stretch through August.

"For the next month in general, conditions don't look overly good for a wet pattern," said National Weather Service hydrologist Peter Jung in State College.

In declaring the drought watch, the state Department of Environmental Protection on Monday cited declining groundwater levels and stream flows after a two-month dry stretch that has left many counties more than 4 inches below average rainfall levels.

Only nine of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, all in the southeast, escaped a drought watch designation: Bucks, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Dryness has persisted on the East Coast for several months, with the worst spots in the deep south, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. More recently, it has spread north to Pennsylvania.