Here’s How Wildfires Will Impact What Australians Eat and Wear

Jan 13, 2020 at 08:24 AM CST - 1
As unprecedented wildfires threaten large parts of Australia, the nation’s agriculture industries are counting the cost of the blazes that have scorched pasture, destroyed livestock, and razed vineyards. With the fires still burning and fears of more to come, it’s too early to quantify the damage, analysts and industry officials said. It’s likely the country’s dairy supply will be hit hardest, with key milk-producing states Victoria and New South Wales suffering the greatest loss of farmland and infrastructure damage. Meat, wool, and honey output may also dip. More than 11.4 million hectares (28 million acres) have been blackened. That’s about 1.5% of the country’s land area, but still an expanse greater than Scotland. Over half the ground burned is in New South Wales and Victoria, and it’s mostly dense native vegetation, forests and national parks, as opposed to crop-growing farmland and areas of intensive agriculture.

Jan 13, 2020 at 08:24 AM CST

- 1

As unprecedented wildfires threaten large parts of Australia, the nation’s agriculture industries are counting the cost of the blazes that have scorched pasture, destroyed livestock, and razed vineyards. With the fires still burning and fears of more to come, it’s too early to quantify the damage, analysts and industry officials said. It’s likely the country’s dairy supply will be hit hardest, with key milk-producing states Victoria and New South Wales suffering the greatest loss of farmland and infrastructure damage. Meat, wool, and honey output may also dip. More than 11.4 million hectares (28 million acres) have been blackened. That’s about 1.5% of the country’s land area, but still an expanse greater than Scotland. Over half the ground burned is in New South Wales and Victoria, and it’s mostly dense native vegetation, forests and national parks, as opposed to crop-growing farmland and areas of intensive agriculture.