Drought conditions sweep North Carolina after dry June, leading to crop losses

Driving the news: Congressman Don Davis is calling for an emergency drought declaration, as much of his district is in the eastern part of the state.

• "One in five jobs in North Carolina are dependent on agriculture," said former U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge of the USDA's Farm Service Agency, who joined Davis this week to inspect farm and tobacco crops in Rocky Mount and Edgecombe County.
• "Little to no rain in over a month in some places is a recipe for disaster for farmers. For those of us who live in town, we see the effects, but for our farmers, they feel them."

Flashback: It's happened quickly. Less than a month ago, only 10 counties were classified as "abnormally dry," which is the lowest drought level, according to the council.

• But June was the driest month on record for a handful of places scattered across North Carolina.

Zoom in: Wake, Durham and Orange counties are currently in a moderate drought. The Drought Management Advisory Council recommends limiting nonessential uses of water.