Smoke, ash, heat and drought hurting Washington agriculture

SEATTLE (AP) — It’s been a tough summer for agriculture across Washington state. Crops like berries have struggled under record heat and drought. Now, some worry about how smoke in August could stunt the growth of some crops should the haze intensify and linger. Jennifer Schuh has worked with her father Steve Schuh for decades in the Skagit Valley, growing everything from corn to berries, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins. She said a long stretch of thick smoke could hurt their crops. Steve Schuh says ash can block a plant access to light and food. Some winemakers say smoke has not impacted their wine grapes yet, but it could get bad in August.