A hot summer has affected crop yields and farmers are hesitant to plant new seeds.

Phyllis Salazar, former financial specialist at the Martinez Financial Center of First Union, has been promoted to consumer lending specialist. J. Kenneth Rentiers Jr. received a presidential appointment to serve as the executive director of the South Carolina Farm Service Agency. Elliott Davis & Co. announced the following promotions and staff additions to their Augusta office: Aaron Johnson has been promoted to senior accountant; and Carrie Causey and Kim Bennett have joined the firm as a staff accountants.

COLUMBIA - South Carolina's agriculture community wants Congress to approve emergency funds next month to help farmers financially strapped by three years of drought.