Agriculture damages from hurricane Michael are estimated at more than $1.3 billion. The Hurricane struck Georgia, Alabama and Florida last week, impacting cotton and pecan growers the most, according to CNBC. President Donald Trump toured damaged areas earlier this week, as did Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
Courtesy Georgia Department of Agriculture
In Georgia alone, the latest farm-related damage estimate from the storm is $1.2 billion, and in Florida another $100 million to $200 million, as reported by the University of Georgia. The hurricane caused an estimated $300 million worth of losses to Georgia’s cotton crop as only about 15 percent of the crop was harvested before the hurricane struck. Meanwhile, the storm caused an estimated $600 million loss to pecans. Georgia’s poultry operations lost an estimated two million chickens, as the Georgia Department of Agriculture has received reports of 84 chicken houses that were destroyed.
Losses were less in Florida because of less farmland in the path of the storm.
In Alabama, only about 10 percent of the state’s cotton crop was harvested before the hurricane hit. Cotton is the most valuable crop for Alabama and producers expected a record-high yield this year.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.