FEYERICK: As we get out from under the snow storm, CNN's Tom Foreman takes us on an "American Journey" that shows how the snow melt is turning into a blessing for America's farmers.</s>TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Through all the bitter cold and blowing snow, through the misery and madness, the long- running winter has brought long awaited water. And the head of the Maryland Farm Bureau, Chuck Fry, says after some dry years, that's a big relief.</s>CHUCK FRY, MARYLAND FARM BUREAU: Whether it's a dairy farmer on the East Coast, whether you live in D.C. or wherever you live, your food comes from a farm and it's all hedged upon that water.</s>FOREMAN (on camera): Winter water counts.</s>FRY: Absolutely counts.</s>FOREMAN (voice-over): As a rule, every 20 inches of snow will melt into just one inch of water and that may not seem like much. But a year ago, well over half the country was in drought conditions. Now the dry spots are down to around 35 percent and that's mainly in the west, places like California.</s>BRIAN FUCHS, NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER: They are not going to even get to normal by the time their wet season ends later this spring.</s>FOREMAN (on camera): In simple terms, it comes down to this, with enough snow and enough rain, a farm like this can more than double its output of corn and soybeans and so much else. (</s>Voice-over): So, as Jon Sewell prepares for planting --</s>JON SEWELL, FARMER: I hope it does this in the summertime. Not snow but precipitation.</s>FOREMAN (on camera): If this keeps up?</s>SEWELL: Yes. If this keeps up, that would be fantastic. That's all we hoped for.</s>FOREMAN (voice-over): High hopes amid the high waters that winter is leaving behind. Tom Foreman, CNN, Tuscarora, Maryland.
Winter Storms A Blessing for Farmers