On Monday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intentionally breached the Birds Point Levee in southeast Missouri. The goal was to relieve rising flood waters in parts of southern Illinois. The breach has already lowered water levels in some parts. But the impact of the flood is likely to last well into the future.

Missouri farmers have been hit hard, as have farmers in southern Illinois who were already in a tough state before the floods. To find out how flooding is affecting farmers in downstate Illinois, Eight Forty-Eight spoke with John Hawkins of the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Music Button: Uncle Tupelo, “High Water”, from the CD Anodyne, (Rhino)