If the drought persists, it could threaten the seed-production plan itself, scientists said.

But if the drought persists and we don't do more, the toll will rise to several hundred thousand or more.

As of September seventh of this year, the terrible drought has persisted for two full months, longer than ever before.

And if drought persists in the West, the costs can only rise.

Agriculture experts are worried, however, that next year could be a very different story if the drought persists.

But the study predicted that the longer-term costs to agriculture could be far higher if the drought persists another year.

So far, the conservation focus has been on large companies, but water officials say small businesses will have to conserve if the drought persists.

This prompted many corn growers to switch to soybeans as the drought persisted into June.

If the drought persists, the most serious shortages are expected this fall.

Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short, intense drought can cause significant damage and harm the local economy.