Mike Kehoe signed an executive order on Monday declaring a drought alert in Missouri. The executive order gives state agencies the authority to direct resources to communities and farmers struggling with dry conditions. The order, which runs through Dec. 1, covers 85 counties experiencing moderate, severe, or extreme drought. Across the state, farmers are feeling the effects of the dry summer. August was the state’s third driest since 1895, with just 1.07 inches of rain compared with the average 2.64 inches.