The billions of tons of carbon dioxide the U.S. expels every year may affect climate; crops are being threatened as well.

Farmers are not worried about carbon gases specifically.

“Carbon dioxide tends to increase yields,” said Lyle Paul, agronomist at the Northern Illinois Agronomy Research Center.

Mariam Wassman, director of information at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, said crops in DeKalb are doing well.

“Last year, there were record corn crop yields,” Wassman said.

While plants seem to be doing well in the short term, long-term effects may be a different story.

As carbon dioxide emissions increase, the ozone layer is depleted, Paul said.

“At this point [though], air pollution is not a problem for DeKalb,” Paul said.

The ozone is still a bigger threat to crops, he said.

Mark Lambert, communications director of the Illinois Corn Grower’s Association, said pollution is an issue for crops.

Illinois does not have the concentration of people to begin affecting crops, Lambert said.

“Plants are a good air filter,” Lambert said.