When agriculture hurts, everybody hurts:' Florence caused $1.1B in NC agriculture losses

Sep 27, 2018 at 07:20 AM CST
We knew the losses would be significant because it was harvest time for so many of our major crops and the storm hit our top six agricultural counties especially hard," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement. "These early estimates show just what a devastating and staggering blow this hurricane leveled at our agriculture industry." The losses far exceed the $400 million caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, officials said. The estimates were based on the percentage of crops still in the field in the 35 hardest-hit counties. The calculations also looked at a five-year average for crop production and the prices of commodities. Assessment information from state Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services regional agronomists, North Carolina State University agents and specialists, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and commodity associations were used to develop estimates. Following are estimates by crops: Row crop losses – $986.6 million Forestry losses – $69.6 million Green industry losses – $30 million Vegetable and horticulture crop losses – $26.8 million Livestock, poultry and aquaculture losses – $23.1 million

Sep 27, 2018 at 07:20 AM CST

We knew the losses would be significant because it was harvest time for so many of our major crops and the storm hit our top six agricultural counties especially hard," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement. "These early estimates show just what a devastating and staggering blow this hurricane leveled at our agriculture industry."

The losses far exceed the $400 million caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, officials said.

The estimates were based on the percentage of crops still in the field in the 35 hardest-hit counties. The calculations also looked at a five-year average for crop production and the prices of commodities. Assessment information from state Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services regional agronomists, North Carolina State University agents and specialists, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and commodity associations were used to develop estimates.

Following are estimates by crops:

Row crop losses – $986.6 million
Forestry losses – $69.6 million
Green industry losses – $30 million
Vegetable and horticulture crop losses – $26.8 million
Livestock, poultry and aquaculture losses – $23.1 million