(Bismarck, ND) — North Dakota farmers are reporting a change in tomato plant growth this year. They say very few tomatoes are growing despite a full season, and believe the summer of wildfire smoke and corn sweat is to blame. Transpiration from corn and soybean products reportedly releases thousands of gallons of moisture every acre, which can lead to excess mold and bacteria that kill tomato and similar plants. Several weeks of wildfire smoke from Canada also prevented sufficient sunlight during the tomato growing season. Farmers are now hopeful that any cold weather will hold off and allow the delayed growth to finish properly.

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