June 22, 2012 -

Southern corn rust, a crop disease, spreads through South Georgia and threatens local farmers' crops.

Local farmers could have a major financial set-back on their hands due to recent heavy rain fall.

The crop disease know as southern corn rust has been popping up in farms throughout South Georgia.

The disease, which thrives in wet windy weather, attacks the cornstalks, making it impossible for the farmers to sell their crops.

Don Clark, a Grady County Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent said, "If we don't protect our crops and this disease is left to spread, it could produce some shortages of the crop because we could have crop failures if this disease goes far enough."

Most farmers have taken precautionary measures by spraying down their corn fields with a fungicide.

So far, counties that have reported southern rust spottings are Seminole, Terrell, and Brooks.