"Drought continued to expand through many key farming states within the central United States in the past week, as scattered rainfall failed to replenish parched soils, according to a report issued Thursday by state and federal climatology experts."

"Drought conditions were most pervasive in the Plains states, including in top wheat producer Kansas, according to the Drought Monitor report.

Fully 100 percent of Kansas was in at least "severe" drought as of Tuesday, up from 99.34 percent a week earlier, according to the Drought Monitor, and almost 78 percent remained in at least "extreme drought," the second-worst level of drought."

Carey Gillam reports for Reuters December 14, 2012. [2]