LSU AgCenter experts say the state’s agriculture industry suffered at least 584-million dollars in damages as a result of Hurricane Ida. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says timber was hit the hardest as a total of 168-thousand acres of trees were affected costing the industry more than 300-million dollars.
“All of that is because of downed timber and given the situations and the infrastructure issues we are having, we don’t estimate much of that timber is going to be salvaged,” said Guidry.
Guidry says about 50% of the total estimated volume of damaged timber is in Tangipahoa Parish.
Guidry says about 139,000 acres of sugarcane or a quarter of the state’s total cane crop are projected to have somewhat lower yields due to storm damage. He says much of the affected sugarcane is recovering, but it will come at a price.
“We are going to see some yield loss associated with this storm, right now we estimated it at roughly 35-million dollars,” said Guidry.
Guidry says sugar mills will also lose revenue due to hurricane damage and the interruption in operations.
There is also a lot of fresh produce and ornamental horticulture growers in southeast Louisiana. Guidry says the estimated damage for these producers is 9.5 million dollars as a lot of greenhouse roofs were damaged.
“Additionally we had some plant loss, so some additional revenue loss there, because they won’t have the volume plant material that they would normally have to sell,” said Guidry.
He says the livestock death toll from Ida is nearly two dozen, but livestock producers have to repair farm structures and fences and older producers have indicated they are getting out of the business.
“Given the amount of infrastructure damage and the amount of cleanup required, many producers, especially older producers, have indicated they would likely liquidate their entire cattle operation,” said Guidry.
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