Mowed-down sugarcane from Hurricane Ida
Image courtesy of Mike’s Weather Page
Damage and grounded barges after IDA
Image courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Ag and Forestry
Swamped citrus groves in Louisiana after Ida
Image courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Ag and Forestry
Stranded cattle on Louisiana farm after Ida
Image courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Ag and Forestry
Hurricane Ida did more than a half-billion dollars’ worth of damage to Louisiana agriculture. The LSU AgCenter says the Category 4 hurricane’s total damage to Louisiana’s agriculture industry is at least $584 million.
Economist Kurt Guidry tells The Hill that about half the damage is to the timber industry, the top-grossing ag commodity in the Bayou State. Over 168,000 acres of timberland were affected by the hurricane’s winds, which caused an estimated $300 million in damage.
The AgCenter report says along with the timber, 35 percent of the damage is estimated to be in infrastructure losses such as equipment. Other commodities like sugarcane, horticulture, and livestock were also affected by Ida. Sugarcane took a 35 million dollar hit, while horticulture also saw approximately $9.5 million in damages. Livestock losses are currently low, with only 22 recorded livestock deaths so far.
The overall dollar amount in damage also includes estimates for future costs affecting production and reduced crop yields brought on by the storm.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)