Hurricane

USDA Launches New Round of Disaster Aid: What Producers Need to Know to Sign Up

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:35:13 GMT

USDA is launching the next phase of its Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) , aimed at farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 . This new round — Stage 2 — was unveiled on Monday and is expected to be significantly more complex than earlier programs and will likely include a surge in enrollment from specialty crop growers.

Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce says this latest stage fills major gaps for producers who either lacked crop insurance altogether or whose losses didn’t quite trigger an indemnity payment. He also says this round of disaster aid is complex, and there are a few things producers can do in advance to make the sign-up process a little easier.

Stage 2 Designed for “Shallow Losses” and Quality Loss

Fordyce explains the scope of eligible disasters is much wider than many producers realize.

He says the qualifying events including everything from drought and wildfires to a derecho. He adds that the program is specifically geared toward losses that fell through the cracks of traditional programs.

“This supplemental disaster relief program is going to assist producers that either did not have crop insurance or their crop insurance didn’t trigger an indemnity, but it was close,” he says. “We call those shallow losses. And there’s also a quality loss component we haven’t really been able to address in previous programs.”

Fordyce says with this stage being more complex, there are two things he wants producers to know:

“I think I think number one, if you are in an area that had a weather disaster in 2023 and 2024, if you’re a producer, you think back, did I have a severe weather event, right? Hurricane, wildfire, derecho, freeze, drought, whatever, and it impacted my crop, then you’re probably eligible,” says Fordyce. “So just think back to 23 and 24. And then, contact that local FSA county office, go to the website. There’s resources on that website as well, and then just be thinking about documentation that could prove that loss. And I mean, I think depending on the crop, depending on the geography, you know, that documentation’s gonna be different.”

Specialty Crops Expected to Be a Major Share of Applicants

What crops will be covered? Fordyce emphasizes many specialty crop operations will find Stage 2 particularly valuable.

“What we think will be crops that will probably have a higher subscription rate through this program are gonna be specialty crops. So it’ll be again what you think of as conventional specialty crops, you know, grapes, so it’s trees, vines, bushes would be you know, probably more more of those crops that would be included,” he says.

He notes that Stage 1 was largely focused on crops with well-established crop insurance data streams, such as major row crops.

“This one’s going to be harder, more complicated, because the data isn’t as uniform and the crop mix is so diverse,” he says.

Producers MUST Enroll in Person, Fordyce Urges Them to Prepare Now

One of the biggest changes in Stage 2 is how growers must apply. Unlike Stage 1, USDA is not mailing pre-filled applications. Producers must go to their FSA county office and work through the application with staff.

Fordyce says with this round being more complicated, preparation is key, but USDA has created a clear and concise checklist to help .

“We’re asking folks to call the local county office to set up an appointment,” he says. “We want to use the producer’s time in the best way we can. This is not something where you just walk in and hope to get it done quickly. There are documents we need, and the more a producer gets ahead of that, the smoother the process will be.”

USDA has published a detailed checklist at FSA.usda.gov/SDRP , and Fordyce encourages producers not to wait.

“It’s a list of documents you really should start getting your hands on, and if you don’t have documentation for something, the checklist also lays out acceptable ways you can substantiate the loss,” he says. “Depending on the crop and the geography, what counts as documentation is going to be different. That’s why we want folks to look at it now, not when they’re sitting in the county office.”

He stresses early preparation will matter because demand will be high.

“This one’s more complicated than Stage 1, no question, and it’s going to take more work from producers and from our county offices,” he says.

Billions Already Distributed And Billions More to Come

SDRP Stage 2 is part of the $30 billion disaster and economic assistance package Congress authorized.

Fordyce explains: “SDRP Stage 2 is part of the $30 billion Congress appropriated back in December. The first $10 billion was the economic aid program, then $6 billion for SDRP Stage 1. When we wrap up SDRP Stage 2, we will have administered all $30 billion in disaster and economic relief.”

What Farmers Need to Know

1. You must enroll in person at your FSA county office.

No prefilled applications will be mailed.
Call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Expect longer processing due to program complexity.

2. Stage 2 covers 2023 through 2024 weather-related losses.

Includes “too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too windy” and other major events.
Eligibility includes shallow losses and quality losses.

3. Specialty crops likely benefit most.

Trees, vines, bushes, grapes and other specialty crops are expected to represent the majority of applicants.

4. Prepare documents in advance.

Use the SDRP checklist at FSA.usda.gov/SDRP .
Documentation varies by crop and region.

Market Loss Payments Still Being Debated, Prices at Harvest Are a Concern

Producers are still asking about potential market loss payments tied to tariff impacts and trade disruptions. While some hope an announcement will come before year-end, Fordyce cautions nothing is final.

“We’re having conversations almost daily with the Secretary’s office, the chief economist’s office, the White House,” he says. “When and if we do something, we want it to be well informed through the data we have. We want it to reflect where we are today, but also, it has to reflect where we were because many producers sold crops at harvest when prices were low. We know that.”

He stresses any decision must accurately reflect the full picture.

“There’s nothing decided yet, no imminent announcement I’m aware of, but the points producers are raising are the same ones we’re discussing internally,” Fordyce says.

Cotton Farmers and Other Struggling Commodities Are Part of the Conversation

Fordyce says USDA is closely tracking severe distress in cotton country.

“There are multiple commodities that are part of the conversation,” he says. “China is the big name because of soybean and sorghum exports, but there are other factors affecting other commodities too. When we make a decision, it’s going to be informed, it’s going to be representative of where we are, and it’s going to rely on the data we have access to.”

Borrower Limits Remain a Roadblock

As lenders warn of widespread stress, many producers want USDA to raise loan limits for beginning farmers and other borrowers. Fordyce says USDA cannot make that change without congressional action.

“Loan limits are statutory,” he explains. “We had a significant increase in 2018, but prices, land values and equipment costs have all shifted since then. We have champions in Congress who understand the inadequacies of our loan limits, and they want to increase them. We’ll see where that goes.”

USDA Leadership Knows the Stakes

Fordyce says USDA leaders understand, personally, the financial strain farmers face.

“My first operating loan was in 1983 at about 18% interest,” he says. “And I still wanted to farm. There are people up and down the hallways of USDA leadership who have farmed, who are farming or who have direct ties to a farm. There’s absolutely a 100% understanding of what’s happening both broadly and commodity by commodity, region by region.”

AgriTalk’s Chip Flory also talked to Farm CPA Paul Nieffer about the latest round of disaster aid. You can listen to that conversation as he outlines what farmers need to know.

4 Natural Disasters in 13 Months Leave Florida Dairy Strong as Ever

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:30:17 GMT

As Hurricane Helene ripped through northern Florida in fall 2024, one farm in its path was Full Circle Dairy, home to the Watts family, 3,900 lactating cows and 50 employees.

The Category 4 hurricane, moving at over 120 miles per hour through several southeastern states, would deliver devastation throughout the region — something the dairy had been all too familiar with in recent months.

Helene came on the heels of Hurricane Idalia in August 2023, a tornado in May 2024 and Hurricane Debby in September 2024. Being the fourth disaster to hit the farm within 13 months, Helene found the Full Circle Dairy team as prepared as they could be, but it still left the worst damage.

(Full Circle Dairy)

“Hurricane Helene caused three-fourths of one of our freestall barns, which houses 800 cows, to collapse,” recalls Philip Watts, operations manager and fifth-generation dairy farmer. “We were in the middle of milking two groups in that barn. Thankfully, the gates were open and most of the cows were able to walk out of the barn when it started to collapse, reducing the number of animals in the barn.”

Throughout the storm, Watts says they maintained normal milking operations as long as they could. As soon as it became unsafe for employees, they paused to ride out the hurricane. Helene left significant damage to the commodity barn, too, meaning much of the extra feed they’d had delivered ahead of time was also lost.

From the previous storms, the farm had learned to prepare by securing any small items that could blow around and by adding extra sand to the plastic covering for the hay and straw to prevent feed from being ruined or blown away.

“Due to losing several fans from previous hurricane winds, we went through and zip-tied nearly 900 fans to prevent damage,” Watts says. “We were fortunate to have experienced Helene last in having learned ways to better prepare the farm.”

(Full Circle Dairy)

The days and weeks following the storm were challenging to say the least, but a positive mindset made all the difference.

“When the disaster hits, understand this is temporary and this will pass. Most likely, when you get past this, you will be stronger and better in the future,” Watts says.

Backup power kept milking equipment, water and barn fans operational, maintaining essential cow care despite power loss.

“We relocated heifers after the barn collapse and retrofitted a heifer freestall barn to house lactating and dry cows after the storm,” Watts says.

“The farm also received a tremendous amount of support from local agricultural groups offering to assist with storm cleanup,” he adds. “The Florida commissioner of agriculture, along with other local representatives, made a visit to the farm post-storm to assess damage.”

Beyond the Storm

Just weeks after the storm passed was a ribbon-cutting for a new RNG facility, a full-scale dairy manure to pipeline quality RNG operation expected to produce an average of 100,000 dekatherms annually. At full capacity, the emission reduction will be equivalent to powering 3,500 homes for a year.

(Full Circle Dairy)

“This project is another milestone into the sustainability practices that we implement at Full Circle Dairy,” Watts says. “Our use of technology on the farm is to gain efficiencies for our team members as well as our animals to prioritize their comfort and care.”

Watts’ parents, Greg and Cindy Watts, are the founders of Full Circle Dairy, and together it’s their goal to provide an opportunity for the next generation on the farm. Integral to the farm’s sustainability efforts is their approach to involving not only their own families but also the local community.

“We welcome school groups, FFA chapters, 4-H groups and more for scheduled tours throughout the year,” Watts says. “We also share our dairy farming story at numerous local community events.”

With the natural disasters moving further into the rearview, Watts says, “Over the next five to 10 years, we will continue to focus on progressive, sustainable and profitable practices.”

Their work in sustainability, resilience and innovation has truly come full circle, several times over.

Your Next Read:
Beef-on-Dairy Silver Linings in the Current Margin Equation

USDA Expedites $16 Billion in Disaster Aid Payments: What Crop Farmers Need to Know

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:40:14 GMT

It’s the largest portion of the $21 billion in disaster aid approved by Congress at the end of 2024. And this week, USDA announced farmers will be able to start signing up for $16 billion in disaster aid payments starting this week through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).

The disaster aid was approved by Congress as part of the continuing resolution in December. On Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can start applying for the $16 billion in assistance starting July 10. This is in addition to the $1 billion in livestock disaster aid already announced by USDA .

USDA says in order to expedite the process, its Farm Service Agency (FSA) will deliver the assistance in two stages.

Stage One: This is open to producers with eligible crop losses that received assistance under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance program (NAP) during 2023 and 2024. USDA says those sign-ups will start in person at local FSA offices July 10. Prefilled applications are also being mailed to producers starting today.
Stage Two: Those sign-ups that apply to eligible shallow or uncovered losses will begin in early fall.

USDA says FSA is launching a streamlined, prefilled application process for eligible crop, tree and vine losses by leveraging existing NAP and Risk Management Agency indemnified loss data. The prefilled applications, which is part of stage one, is what is being mailed now.

“American farmers are no stranger to natural disasters that cause losses that leave no region or crop unscathed. Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA has worked around the clock to deliver this relief directly to our farmers,” said Secretary Rollins in a statement. “We are taking swift action to ensure farmers will have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable and most abundant food supply in the world.”

Who’s Eligible?
Under the latest program, producers who suffered losses due to natural disasters in the 2023 and/or 2024 years are eligible. The disasters include wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.

When it comes to drought, USDA says the producer’s county must have been rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks, D3 (extreme drought) or greater intensity level during the applicable calendar year.

What’s Next?
Once those payments are released, USDA’s final phase of the American Relief Act will be another emergency livestock relief program, but this covers flood losses producers saw in 2023 and 2024.

Appleton says that’s been the most difficult program to outline and detail, as USDA has never administered a disaster program for livestock that covered losses due to flooding.

“We’ve never had a disaster program for livestock that was triggered on flooding, so that piece of it is going to take us a little bit longer,” USDA deputy undersecretary Brooke Appleton told Farm Journal last month. “As these programs are ready to roll out, we’re focused on doing it as soon as we can, rather than holding them all and doing it all at once. We want to make sure as soon is the assistance is ready to go, we are getting it out and getting it to the folks who need it.”

USDA says it is fully committed to expediting remaining disaster assistance provided by the American Relief Act 2025. On May 7, it launched its 2023/2024 Supplemental Disaster Assistance public landing page where the status of USDA disaster assistance and block grant roll out timeline can be tracked.

Ag Sector Could Score Big in Stopgap Spending

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 19:57:37 GMT

The House of Representatives released its Continuing Resolution (CR) text today, which includes:

A one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill
Around $10 billion in farmer economic aid
$21 billion in ag disaster funding for 2023 and 2024, which is part of the $100.4 billion to help the hurricane-stricken Southeast
Year-round E15 sales, which is a major victory for the corn and ethanol industries

The plan will offer credits to small refiners that petitioned for exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates (2016 to 2018 compliance years) but were denied or had pending petitions as of Dec. 1, 2022. The RFS requires refiners to blend biofuels such as ethanol into gasoline or purchase compliance credits.

The provision would override a previous U.S. government decision allowing year-round E15 sales only in eight Midwestern states (set to begin in 2025).

Extension of Orphan Programs in 2018 Farm Bill
There also appears to be an extension of orphan programs in the 2018 farm bill extension and a permanent 1890s scholarship program. The icing on the cake is a four-year extension of SNAP fraud via the skimming reimbursement language.

Orphan programs are ones that were authorized in the 2018 farm bill but did not have funding beyond a specified year. The extension provides $177 million of new mandatory funding for programs that did not have a budget baseline. This ensures these programs can continue to operate during the extension period.

The 1890s scholarship program provides scholarships for students attending 1890 land-grant universities, which are historically Black colleges and universities that were established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.

The SNAP Fraud Reimbursement extension is the continuation of reimbursements for stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This provision protects SNAP recipients from losses due to benefit theft via card skimming, cloning and other similar methods. States will continue to be required to replace stolen benefits under this measure.

One source said, “Good policy would be emphasizing the need for states to transition to more secure measures for SNAP recipients, including stronger identity verification practices.”

Of Note
Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) did not get her wish to move conservation/climate funding into a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill. That discussion will occur next year.

Economic Aid and Disaster Funding
Disaster aid for crop losses due to natural disasters for 2023 and 2024 will total $21 billion.

The discussions for economic aid centered on a $10 billion package to help farmers cope with price declines and rising input costs. House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson (R-Pa.) indicated that $10 billion is the minimum he would accept. He mentioned Republican support for reallocating conservation program funds from the 2022 legislation into the farm bill baseline, but that Republicans are disputing the “guardrails” that require funds to support “climate-smart” projects.

Thompson also noted concerns that some critics want to ensure President-elect Donald Trump would have access to funds to compensate farmers for potential retaliation stemming from new Trump import tariffs.

Year-Round E-15
Year-round sales of E15 ethanol has been a long-standing goal for corn growers and ethanol producers, particularly in states such as Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota where a significant portion of corn production goes into ethanol.

Currently, E15 is available at more than 3,200 gas stations in the U.S., indicating room for growth (there are more than 196,000 fuel stations in the U.S.). About 95% of model year 2024 vehicles are explicitly approved for E15 use by manufacturers.

The actual increase in ethanol usage would likely be gradual as E15 adoption expands. While the theoretical maximum ethanol usage through year-round E15 sales could reach 20,586 million gallons annually, the actual increase would depend on factors such as consumer adoption and infrastructure development — separate fuel handling and storage for E15.

Now What?
A vote in the House won’t happen until at least Thursday night if House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sticks to his plan to honor the rule giving members 72 hours to review the bill.

Other House Happenings
House Democrats removed Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) as their senior Agriculture Committee leader after he received just 5 votes in Monday’s influential steering panel vote. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) emerged as the frontrunner with 34 votes, while Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) trailed with 22 votes. Craig now heads into Tuesday’s full caucus vote, seeking additional support. Craig plans to rally House colleagues for the final vote. Meanwhile, Costa vowed to keep pushing and will try to supplant Craig in the full caucus. Lawmakers had anticipated Scott’s ouster amid growing skepticism of his leadership — Scott has dropped out of the race.

Craig indicated part of her pitch to the panel was that there are no other Ranking Members for Democrats from the U.S. Midwest.

“There’s not a single ranking member from the middle of the country right now, and that was certainly part of my pitch to my colleagues, is that if we want to represent this whole country, then we need ranking members and leaders in the Democratic Party who are from the whole country,” she stated.

Craig came into Congress in 2019 while Costa and Scott were elected in the early 2000s.

GOP Eyes Strategic Appointment to Boost House Majority
Republicans may have found a way to temporarily expand their narrow House majority: appointing a Democrat to the Trump administration. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) is reportedly being considered to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) next year. The move would leave Democrats short a vote for weeks, bolster the GOP’s edge, and possibly help Republicans flip Moskowitz’s seat. Moskowitz, who previously served as Florida’s emergency management director under Gov. Ron DeSantis, could gain significant recognition if he pursues a 2026 gubernatorial bid. While his office and House Democratic leadership declined to comment, the appointment’s political ramifications are being closely watched ahead of Monday’s internal party elections.

Take our Poll: Do you think Congress should pass emergency relief for farmers in the CR? You can voice your opinion in our AgWeb poll.

Industry News: The State of Mosaic's Phosphate Mines Post-Hurricane, AGI Facility Celebrates a Milestone

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:07:28 GMT

Mosaic Shares Update On Phosphate Mines Following Hurricane Milton
The Mosaic Company says all of its Florida-based employees are safe and accounted for following Hurricanes Milton and Helene, and recovery efforts have progressed well.

All of the company’s Florida production facilities have returned to normal operations with the exception of the Riverview location, which has resumed production and is expected to return to normal rates by the end of the week. The mining sites are in the process of resuming operations.

South Fort Meade is expected to return to normal operations this week and Four Corners in the next one to two weeks. This quick return to normal operations can be attributed to the proactive and orderly storm management practices that were followed.

“Many Mosaic people came together to ensure that our Florida operations were prepared for the storms, and prepared to recover,” said president and CEO Bruce Bodine. “Their efforts are particularly noteworthy given that many of our people faced significant storm impacts at home. I am extremely grateful to all of them.”

Mosaic expects the hurricane related production impacts to be in the range of 200 thousand tons to 250 thousand tons in the fourth quarter.

Biotalys Appoints Chief Business Development Officer
Biotalys has appointed Kamal El Mernissi as its chief business development officer (CBDO).

“I’m delighted to welcome Kamal to the executive committee of Biotalys,” said Simon Moroney, chairman of Biotalys. “With more than 15 years of experience in agriculture and a broad variety of leadership positions in marketing and sales, he is an excellent addition to the leadership team. The board looks forward to working with Kamal as he builds the company’s roster of partnerships, with a focus on maximizing long-term value for Biotalys and its stakeholders.”

El Mernissi comes to Biotalys from Marrone Bio Innovations (currently Pro Farm Group) and has also worked at Syngenta. In his new role, he will lead Biotalys’ efforts to secure partnerships with major agricultural players that can benefit from the Agrobody Foundry technology platform to develop biofungicides and bio-insecticides with new modes of action.

“Biotalys is uniquely positioned to bring impactful innovation to farmers seeking performance and sustainability, and I am thrilled to start this new journey with such an incredible group of talented and mission-driven colleagues and investors,” said El Mernissi. “During my initial interactions, I was impressed by the team and sensed their excitement and motivation to develop protein-based biocontrols to positively impact the wider ag community.”

AGI Saskatoon Celebrates a 10-Year Safety Milestone in No Lost Time Incidents
Ag Growth International  (AGI) celebrated a safety milestone at its Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, manufacturing facility with a ten-year no lost time incidence record.

“I commend the AGI Saskatoon team for achieving an incredible safety milestone of ten years with no lost time incidents. Their achievement demonstrates that safety, as a guiding principle, is deeply ingrained in our work culture,” says Paul Householder, AGI president & CEO. “They embody AGI’s highest global priority that every employee – regardless of where they work or the type of environment they work in – returns home at the end of each day in the exact same working condition in which they arrived.” 

A lost time incident (LTI) refers to a non-fatal injury that results in disability or an employee missing work due to an injury. An LTI measurement is a baseline representation of a company’s safety performance and the effects of those injuries on workforce productivity. 

“This achievement entirely belongs to the team’s absolute dedication to safety leadership at all levels. Their ‘winning ticket’ includes vigilance, prevention and education. They are continuously on the lookout to identify, report and fix potentially unsafe conditions and processes. That allows them to avoid hazards and near misses before someone gets hurt,” says Kris Wingert, AGI Saskatoon operations manager.

The plant, which was commissioned by Westeel in 1989, produces engineered-to-order smooth wall grain and fertilizer bins for both farm and commercial agricultural use. The ISO 9001:2015 certified facility also specializes in custom welding services provided to other AGI facilities.

“The skillset required is not robotic, but hands on. This means that multiple machines moving, lifting and transporting can create opportunities for things to go wrong. That is why having tight processes in place and maintaining a culture of ongoing education, welding certifications, and employees looking out for each other are crucial to safety,” Wingert says.

According to Harsha Bhojraj, AGI vice president of manufacturing, the Saskatoon facility is the “perfect example” of AGI’s safety vision in action.

“The AGI Saskatoon team has shown that it is possible to adjust and be safe every single day for ten years straight regardless of changing conditions -- through upturns and downturns, across day and night shifts, from summer to winter, and with new and experienced associates. Their record raises the bar for what safety excellence at AGI means,” Bhojraj says.

The Saskatoon facility is the second AGI facility to achieve 10-year no lost time status, after the AGI Olds, Alberta, location marked the milestone in 2023.

Florida Citrus Growers Brace for Hurricane Milton as Forecasters Warn of 'Complete Destruction'

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 21:24:50 GMT

Milton strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane on a path toward Florida, with Governor Ron DeSantis declaring an emergency and millions of residents ordered to evacuate.

“Unless we get extremely lucky, Milton will be one of the biggest hurricane disasters in history,” leading Fox Weather hurricane meteorologist Bryan Norcross predicted Monday, shortly after the hurricane was upgraded to a Category 5 storm with winds of 180 mph.

Milton is forecast to make landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, likely between 6 PM and midnight. The center of the cone is near Tampa, but there is still uncertainty in the exact track. Norcross said it is too early to call where the storm will hit when it makes landfall Wednesday, but that if it follows the current trajectory and strikes Tampa Bay directly the city “will go underwater.” Meanwhile, Tampa’s mayor issued a dire warning before Hurricane Milton: “If you choose to stay … you are going to die.”

A forecast from the National Hurricane Center predicted storm surge for Tampa Bay could hit up to 15 feet. The storm is expected to cross the Florida peninsula and move into the Atlantic Ocean afterwards. There is an increased risk of tornadoes, with 11 million people under threat of tropical tornadoes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hurricane Milton is threatening to be one of the largest ever hurricanes with wind gusts already topping 200 miles per hour — leading to calls for a new Category 6 designation for such an intense superstorm. “This is nothing short of astronomical,” Florida meteorologist Noah Bergren said late Monday as Milton reached sustained winds of 180 mph and “gusts 200+ mph.” “I am at a loss for words to meteorologically describe to you the storm’s small eye and intensity,” he marveled. “This hurricane is nearing the mathematical limit of what Earth’s atmosphere over this ocean water can produce.”

Milton threatens to inflict wind damage in the northern two-thirds of Florida’s citrus belt this week, according to Commodity Weather Group. Orange juice futures rose up to 4.3% on Monday due to the threat to Florida’s citrus industry. U.S. natural gas futures fell over 4% in anticipation of reduced demand if power outages occur. Various events have been cancelled, including a championship ring ceremony for the Florida Panthers hockey team.

Citrus producers are urged to keep accurate records to document any damage or loss, including dated photos1. It’s critical for growers to report farm damage to their local USDA Service Center before starting any cleanup or repair activities. This documentation is essential for potential financial assistance from USDA.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has suspended size and weight restrictions for vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies, and agricultural commodities, including citrus. This emergency measure allows these vehicles to travel at all hours and is set to expire on Oct. 21 or upon rescission of the executive orders.

Hurricane season generally lasts through November.

Of note: New estimates reveal Hurricane Helene caused more than $47 billion in losses for property owners. The price tag for climate-related disasters is growing. Last year, storms in the U.S. caused $93.1 billion in damages, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their cumulative toll, dating to 1980, now stands at $2.6 trillion.

Hurricane Milton's Threat To Phosphate Production

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 18:20:09 GMT

On the heels of Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton appears to be headed for Tampa–an epicenter for phosphate production. Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX, joined AgriTalk to share the implications this could have on the market.

“We have to worry about all the people down there–this could be the first major hurricane to directly hit in modern Tampa history. But then you start to think about all the production, all the storage, everything that’s in that area for the phosphate market. It’s three or four weeks before fall application begins. This isn’t good,” he says.

Linville says the price of phosphate has been high in comparison to grain prices, and inventories of the product are already tight.

“I’m never going to sit there and say, ‘Oh, you’re not going to be able to find it. It won’t exist.’,” he says. “You’ll find it, but you might not like the price and you might not like the timeline.”

For those who have already locked in their orders for phosphate, Linville doesn’t believe there should necessarily be concern for those contracts changing.

“This might be something folks are talking about, and something that might be feared a little bit, but you hope that doesn’t make its way down to the farm gate,” he says. “You hope the market finds a way, and it always does.”

Additional Industry Trends
As for the rest of the fertilizer marketplace, Linville says urea prices are up, but maybe not for the reason you think.

“We suddenly saw urea prices starting to spike around the world, and everybody said the Iran attack is what caused price to go higher,” he says. “Supplies are tight on urea and everything else has been following it. Iran attacking Israel was not the thing that caused it. It was just the trigger that allowed the market to come together and say we now need to move higher.”

The potash market, on the other hand, is well valued and well supplied.

“Our only real concern when it comes to potash is maybe we see some price increases in the middle of season, because folks who wait until the absolute last minute may say they need something right now, and that costs a little bit more,” Linville says.

Linville adds that spring is hard to predict this far out, but supply issues tend to be long lasting. He recommends having a conversation now with retailers and suppliers.

U.S. Southeast Faces Daunting Cleanup from Helene as Death Toll Rises

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:34:21 GMT

Authorities across the southeastern U.S. faced the daunting task on Saturday of cleaning up from Hurricane Helene, one of the most powerful and perhaps costliest storms to hit the country, as the death toll continued to rise.

At least 47 deaths were reported by early Saturday, and officials feared still more bodies would be discovered across several states.

Damage estimates across the storm’s rampage range between $95 billion and $110 billion, potentially making this one of the most expensive storms in modern U.S. history, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist of AccuWeather, a commercial forecasting company.

Downgraded late on Friday to a post-tropical cyclone, the remnants of Helene continued to produce heavy rains across several states, sparking massive flooding that threatened to cause dam failures that could inundate entire towns.

“The devastation we’re witnessing in Hurricane Helene’s wake has been overwhelming,” President Joe Biden said on Saturday. “Jill and I continue to pray for all of those who have lost loved ones and for everyone impacted by this storm.”

Biden was briefed about the loss of life and storm’s impact
on multiple states by Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House’s homeland security adviser, the White House said.

The president directed them to continue to focus on speeding up support to storm survivors and accelerating recovery efforts, including the immediate deployment of additional search and rescue teams into North Carolina, it added.

At least 3 million customers remained without power on Saturday afternoon across five states, with authorities warning it could be several days before services were fully restored.

The worst outages were in South Carolina with more than 1
million homes and businesses without power, and Georgia where 750,000 were without power.

Some of the worst rains hit western North Carolina, which
saw almost 30 inches (76 cm) fall on Mount Mitchell in Yancey County, the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center reported.

Atlanta was hit with 13 inches of rain, and farmers in South
Georgia were assessing the damage to the state’s $1 billion
cotton crop and $400 million pecan crop now in harvest season.

Before moving north through Georgia and into Tennessee and the Carolinas, Helene hit Florida’s Big Bend region as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Thursday night, packing 140 mph (225 kph) winds. It left behind a chaotic landscape of overturned boats in harbors, felled trees, submerged cars and flooded streets.

Police and firefighters carried out thousands of water rescues throughout the affected states on Friday.

More than 50 people were rescued from the roof of a hospital in Unicoi County, Tennessee, about 120 miles (193 km) northeast of Knoxville, state officials said, after flood waters swamped the rural community.

‘CHIMNEY ROCK IS GONE’

The NWS issued flash flood warnings overnight for a swath of eastern Tennessee covering 100,000 residents, warning them to seek higher ground. The Nolichucky Dam in Tennessee’s Greene County was on the brink of failure on Saturday, officials reported, adding that a breach could occur at any time.

In western North Carolina, Rutherford County emergency officials warned residents near the Lake Lure Dam that it might fail, although they said late on Friday that did not appear imminent.

Multiple people in and around Chimney Rock, N.C., described the village’s downtown as washed out, with images online showing inches of mud and sediment, uprooted trees and snapped telephone poles and buildings turned into debris.

“All right folks, listen up, Chimney Rock is gone, Flowering Bridge is gone,” somebody known as Touristpov posted on TikTok, showing videos of the destruction. “I don’t know what they’ll do to get us out of here.”

In nearby Buncombe County, landslides forced Interstate Highways 40 and 26 to close and parts of them were washed out, the county said on X.

Mountain communities such as Boone and Burnsville, N.C., were cut off as highways were clogged with debris or washed out, said Rebecca Newton, who was scrambling to find anyone with cell service in the area who could check on her family home near Mount Mitchell.

“Towns are totally cut off,” she said after spending her morning making dozens of calls to friends in the area. “They’re using helicopters to get people out of Boone and Asheville.”

“Spruce Pine is gone, nothing but rooftops poking out of water,” she said of the mountain community about 50 miles northeast of Asheville.

Newton said a friend told her she had watched houses in her neighborhood slide one at a time into a river near Boone.

“It’s unreal,” she said.

The Burnsville Hub Facebook page is replete with people desperate to find anyone to check on relatives and friends cut off from telephone service.

One poster, Rachel Richmond, wrote, “I need any route that will get me as close as I can. I will walk the rest of the way. I need to get to my parents.”

WAKING TO DISASTER

The extent of the damage in Florida began emerging after daybreak on Friday.

In coastal Steinhatchee, a storm surge - a wall of seawater pushed ashore by winds - of eight to 10 feet (2.4-3 meters) moved mobile homes, the weather service said. In Treasure Island, a barrier island community in Pinellas County, boats were grounded in front yards.

The city of Tampa posted on X that emergency personnel had completed 78 water rescues of residents and that many roads were impassable because of flooding. The Pasco County sheriff’s office rescued more than 65 people.

A total of 11 people died in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis said on Saturday, speaking in Perry, Fla., which saw 15-foot storm surges, larger than those seen in hurricanes in recent years.

“If you look around here, you can see that some homes are just rubble,” he said. “This stuff comes in, it’s fierce and it’s just unstoppable.”

FEMA’s Criswell joined DeSantis on a tour of storm-damaged areas of the state. She will travel to Georgia on Sunday and North Carolina on Monday, the White House said.

“I just want to say on behalf of the president that we extend our deepest sympathies for those families that have lost loved ones,” Criswell said.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office reported 15 storm-related fatalities in that state, while North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said there had been two deaths there.

At least 19 people died during the storm across South Carolina, the Charleston-based Post and Courier newspaper reported, citing local officials.

(Reporting and writing by Rich McKay; additional reporting by Joseph Ax, Andrew Hay, Brad Brooks, Ismail Shakil and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Daniel Wallis and Paul Simao)

Fallout from Francine: Hurricane Wreaks Havoc on Barge Traffic and Shutters Key Ports

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 21:13:00 GMT

Farmers in the southern U.S. rushed to harvest key crops like cotton and rice ahead of Hurricane Francine’s arrival.

Francine made landfall Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, before weakening to Category 1. A state of emergency is in effect for Louisiana and Mississippi. New Orleans is under a shelter-in-place order after evacuation windows closed.

Impacts:
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) said that as of Sept. 11, personnel were evacuated from 171 production platforms in the Gulf, 46% of the 371 manned platforms in operation there. People have been evacuated from three non-dynamically positioned (DP) rigs, equivalent to 60% of the five rigs of that type operating, with a total of four DP rigs have been moved out of the path of the storm, 20% of the 20 DP rigs operating in the Gulf. BSEE estimates that approximately 38.56% of the current oil production and 48.77% of the current natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in.

Barge traffic has also been interrupted, with Mike Steenhoek of the Soy Transportation Coalition noting that barge companies are not sending barge flotillas into the region until the storm has moved on.

USDA reported that as of Sept. 8, 72% of cotton bolls were open in Louisiana, 69% in Mississippi, 83% in Arkansas, 46% in Alabama, and 44% in Georgia, leaving those fields susceptible to damage from heavy rains and wind.

The toughest harvest rush for a rice 🌾 farmer, is going full throttle before a hurricane. Overwhelming emotional, fueled with adrenaline rushes, pushing the limits, and trying to be perfect at an unsustainable pace. I hope all is safe, 🙏
— Scott Matthews (@SMatthewsfarms) September 12, 2024

Several port locations have also been shuttered with Port Fourchon, Louisiana, closed to vessel traffic along with ports of New Orleans, Plaquemines, Cameron, Lake Charles and Houma.

Flood Warnings and Destructive Winds

As the storm’s center moved north through Louisiana, officials warned of potential tornadoes and dangerous storm surge. Francine is expected to continue into Mississippi Thursday, with flood warnings extending to Florida. Francine brought hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge to coastal Louisiana.

New Orleans reported wind gusts of 78 mph as the eyewall passed through. This marks Louisiana’s first hurricane landfall since the devastating Hurricane Ida in 2021.

Florida's Hurricane Ian Losses Total Over $1 Billion

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:14:00 GMT

Florida’s Department of Ag issued preliminary loss figures from Hurricane Ian. Losses to Florida ag and infrastructure total between $1.18 billion and $1.89 billion, according to the preliminary assessment.

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Ag Services (UF/IFAS) last week said that the preliminary losses for Ian were around $1.56 billion, while the government update issued this week takes into account citrus tree replacement, animal infrastructure damage and forestry.

Hurricane Ian Disaster Aid

Florida Commissioner of Ag Nikki Fried said the preliminary assessment is a “first step” in trying to get federal disaster aid for affected producers, noting the state would continue working with industry partners to “gain further insight into the depth and breadth of Ian’s damage.”

Detailed figures from the state on Hurricane Ian include:

$676 million for citrus, including fruit loss (up to $304 million) and tree loss ($371 million).
Storm is likely to have destroyed 8% to 11% of Florida citrus trees, which would be more than 6.1 million trees.
Other fruit and vegetable losses are pegged at up to $231 million, a loss of about 10% to 15%, while losses for row crops were put at about $160 million with horticultural crops seeing losses of around $297 million.
Losses for animal agriculture are seen at around $492 million which includes damage to things like barns, fences, equipment and roads besides losses of livestock and damage to forage production areas.

Loss Estimates for Hurricane Ian

USDA said earlier this month their estimates of U.S. citrus production were completed before Hurricane Ian arrived and the Florida citrus production figures released Oct. 12 did not reflect potential damage from the storm and that the next update on citrus production will come Dec. 9.

They also noted that the “full impact of the storm may not be reflected until future reports.”

More on Hurricane Ian:

Mosaic Shares Recovery Details After Hurricane Ian
Florida Producers Scramble to Reach Cattle After Hurricane Ian

Mosaic Shares Recovery Details After Hurricane Ian

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:36:45 GMT

Mosaic’s North American Phosphates operations were negatively impacted by damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

The company says its facilities in central Florida experienced modest damage from flooding and high winds due to the storm. Its early assessments are leading the company to announce its production of phosphates could be down 200,000 to 250,000 tonnes through the fourth quarter.

Josh Linville, StoneX’s vice president of fertilizer says the market has largely shrugged off the potential loses as a quarter million tons of fertilizer is “not that large of a deal” when it comes to the markets.

The company expects the necessary repairs to its facilities will be complete in one to two weeks.

Additionally, port and rail closures will delay the timing of shipments for the business–pushing scheduled shipments from September into October. As of now, the company says phosphate sales volumes will total 1.60 to 1.65 million tonnes for the third quarter. But they will release more details in their third quarter investor call, which has a date yet to be announced.

According to the Florida state mining commission, there are a total of 27 phosphate mines–covering more than 450,000 acres in the state. Nine of those mines are currently active. A single phosphate mine can range in size from 5,000 to 100,000 acres.

In response to Hurricane Ian, the Mosaic Company Foundation is donating $100,000 to the most effected areas of Hardee, Manatee and DeSoto counties. This is in addition to the $55,000 the foundation gave in storm preparation funds. Also, the foundation gave $300,000 toward an employee-to-employee assistance fund, which will be dispersed to employees who need assistance with hurricane recover efforts. The company will double match any contributions made by Mosaic employees to this fund.

Florida farmers brace for worst as Hurricane Ian strengthens

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 13:42:23 GMT

Florida farmers, who have dealt with more than their fair of hurricanes since 2000, are actively monitoring the developing Hurricane Ian situation, according to the Florida Department of Citrus.

The National and Central Pacific Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Ian is growing stronger in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. On Sept. 27, the center issued a hurricane watch for the West Coast of Florida from South of Bonita Beach to Chokoloskee.

Read related: Challenges breed toughness for Florida citrus leaders

Total crop loss from hurricanes Irma and Michael in in 2017 and 2018, respectively, was estimated at about $1.5 billion, according to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension.

“In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the Florida peninsula with winds up to 112 mph and accumulated rainfall of up to 14 inches. Both Irma and Michael caused significant property damage across the state, including damage to agricultural crops,” according to UF/IFAS Extension. “For Irma alone, over 5.0 million acres of cropland were affected, including 3.4 million under hurricane-force winds.”

Alan Hodges, director of the University of Florida’s Economic Impact Assessment Program, said in a news release that about 1 million acres of field crops and 3.6 million acres of upland forest in Florida were potentially affected by Hurricane Michael.

Read related: Florida citrus growers battle through challenges

“Florida Citrus growers are committed to providing high-quality, great-tasting Florida citrus and Florida orange juice to consumers.,” said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. “Centuries of history keep hurricanes front and center in the mind of any Florida citrus grower. We are closely monitoring developments related to Hurricane Ian and engaged with state and federal officials.

“Flooding, fruit loss due to wind and even uprooted trees are a very real concern for growers during hurricane season,” continued Shepp. “The key point is that Florida citrus growers are resilient in the face of extreme weather, greening and high-input costs. The commitment to deliver remains strong.”

Read related: Florida citrus acreage contracts by 8% in 2022

Insurance Losses Mount as Hurricane Ida Could Become Top Five Costliest Hurricanes in History

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 02:04:27 GMT

Work continues on cleaning up from Hurricane Ida with logistical problems remaining for moving grains through Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

Now, the Wall Street Journal is putting a dollar amount on the damage. The report shows the storm is poised to be one of the top five costliest hurricanes based on insurance losses. Risk Management Solutions is estimating insured losses between $31 billion and $44 billion.

The storm had a long tail, not just hitting Louisiana, but also causing damage in the Northeast as it moved on after making landfall.

Reuters reports the costs are also adding up for grain handlers who tell them Gulf shipping issues are causing the cost for barge freight to rise along rivers in the Midwest.

Gulf Of Mexico Barge Traffic: A Delicate Balance and The $1 Million Question

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 19:53:10 GMT

Hurricane Idea brought a devastating hit to the Gulf of Mexico and the ag shipping industry—untethering and damaging barges as well as causing damage to important facilities.

According to the Soy Transportation Coalition, the 256-mile stretch of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 60% of U.S. soybean exports, as well as 59% of corn exports
Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek explains the 150 mile per hour sustained winds of Hurricane Ida packed quite a punch. The storm materialized in a just a matter of days, which underscores the importance of being able to rapidly take precautionary measures and build resiliency in the infrastructure system.

“We were happy to see the levee infrastructure hold,” he told AgriTalk host Chip Flory. “The time to respond to a catastrophe is before the catastrophe. Hopefully, as we continue to debate and design a strategy for our infrastructure, we can take the whole issue of resiliency and have it just be a way of doing business. Bake it into the cake, so that with resiliency measures you include it when you’re actually constructing it not when you’re trying to take corrective action after a storm like Hurricane Ida arrives.”

Steenhoek reports that all barges have been corralled. But there’s considerable damage to some, which is being reflected in shipping rates that were already reflecting their early harvest season uptick.

“Rates go up at this time of year, but when all of the sudden you take a decent number of barges just out of your inventory, and then you’re still expecting that supply chain to be able to accommodate the throughput–we’re just really not able to do that right now and so it puts upward pressure on rates,” he says.
One barge can carry 55,000 bu. of soybeans, and with harvest getting started upriver in the upper Midwest, he sees high demand and the potential for delays.

“You’ve got harvest coming online in places like Mississippi, and then normally you want all of that to clear out of the system before the real tsunami of Iowa and Illinois and Kentucky and Missouri and all these other states come online so that it’s always a real delicate balance.”

Adding to the barge issues is the infrastructure damage to the Cargill and CHS facilities in the region.
“There are 14 soybean and grain loading facilities between Baton Rouge, Louisiana past New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico,” he says. “The one that’s most notable is the Cargill facility in the town of Reserve, Louisiana and that’s about 30 miles northwest of New Orleans. And it’s the conveyer system is damaged pretty significantly and that’s what actually loads the vessels.”

It’s reported 7% to 8% of all exports leave from this facility. Steenhoek says he is unsure of how long the repair work will take, but he thinks it’s the ‘million dollar question’ if it’s a matter of weeks or will take several months.
“It’s clearly more than me toolbox in hand going down to fix it,” he says. “It’s gonna be a pretty significant repair.”

The second facility of note that is still experiencing the effects of Hurricane Ida is the Myrtle Grove CHS facility that is in the area without full power restored.

Listen to the full interview here:

Direct Hit to Key Export Elevators, 22 Barges on the Loose: Logistical Nightmare Unfolds from Hurricane Ida

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:00:53 GMT

Hurricane Ida’s destructive winds are wreaking havoc on a vital export shipping vein, as grain elevators and barge traffics continue to be tangled from the impacts of the hurricane this week.

Monday, reports surfaced that Hurricane Ida damaged a Louisiana grain export elevator owned by Cargill Inc. It was said to have “sustained significant damage.” Ken Erickson, senior vice president of agribusiness with IHS market, focuses on transportation and infrastructure. He says as the destruction continues to surface, it’s apparent that the U.S. export program could run into some serious delays as the area works to recovery from the impacts of Hurricane Ida.

“We’ve got a couple of them that are going to be down for a while, especially with Cargill having just lost some of its elevation to the ships, they’ve got capability to load two ships there,” says Erikson on AgriTalk. “There are others that are going to be without power for awhile, and power is the big story down there with two to four weeks, if not longer, of no power just across the entire region.”

Plagued with Power Outages

While there was good news that no levees had topped from the storm surge, the issue of power could plague a key U.S. export area for weeks.

“Thankfully, all the work that went on after Katrina with the levees held it in place and we didn’t have major topping and breakthroughs. But it’s this power thing,” says Erikson. “And where this this hurricane came through, thankfully, it kind of hit in some not as populous areas, but boy, the winds just did some serious damage, and we had a direct hit on those expert elevators. That’s going to be hitting our complex at perhaps the worst time going forward here.”

Erikson says the U.S. is entering a critical time for exports, especially soybeans, and recovery will need to be swift to prevent any further erosion to the U.S. export program this year.

“In many respects, if there’s ever a bad time, this is about as good as it gets to have this take place. The one thing for the major destruction at reserve is going to be one that’s going to be down. If you think about the U.S. center Gulf, they have handled nearly 3 billion bushels of exports a year. That’s nearly 60% of U.S. corn, wheat, sorghum and soybean exports. They’ve got the capability to do about 3.6 billion bushels, almost 4 billion bushels, annually. They’re running at a fairly high level of capacity utilization as it is.”

Critical Time for Exports

The grain elevators that took a direct hit from Hurricane Ida this week weren’t small facilities. Erikson says it will be imperative for those facilities to recovery quickly.

“When you start taking out like a Cargill reserve, that probably is about 8% to 10% of center Gulf capacity. CHS Myrtle Grove is down for a few weeks here without power, and it is a similar size facility with about 7% to 8% capacity share, those get to be important,” says Erikson. “We’ve seen inspections, the last few weeks been very anemic, and we’re not seeing big flows moving at the moment. This is perhaps the best time for something to happen. And by the time we get the power back on and stuff going, that’ll be great. It’s just that we’re gonna have with some big destruction, and we may learn of others as well. That could be the problem going to this fall when we need everything running really well to get this Expert program moving that we’ve got plugged in right now.”

The Soybean Transportation Coalition (STC) notes that while August isn’t a key time for soybean exports, there’s still a healthy amount of corn typically loaded onto barges this time of year. During the week ending Aug. 19, STC notes 464,138 metric tons (18.3 million bushels) of corn, 141,859 metric tons (5.2 million bushels) of soybeans, and 71,696 metric tons (2.6 million bushels) of wheat were exported from the terminals along the lower Mississippi River. In total, 487 barges of grain were unloaded in the area that week alone.

Runaway Barges

It’s more than just power outages that could influence the recovery timeline. On Monday, officials reported 22 barges on the loose with one hitting a bridge in Laffite, La. Leaders believe the bridge is now structurally unsound, but no word on how that could impact barge traffic moving forward.

In Ida's Wake, Louisiana Faces a Month with No Power as Heat Soars

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 13:06:58 GMT

South Louisiana braced for a month without electricity and reliable water service in the wake of Hurricane Ida, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, as people faced suffocating heat and humidity.

By early Tuesday, about 1.3 million customers were without power about 48 hours after the storm made landfall, most of them in Louisiana, according to PowerOutage https://poweroutage.us, which gathers data from U.S. utility companies.

The storm killed at least four people, officials said, a toll that perhaps would have been much larger if not for a fortified levee system built around New Orleans after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago. (Graphic of Hurricane Ida hitting Gulf Coast https://tmsnrt.rs/3yrcULP)

Officials were unable to complete a full damage assessment because downed trees clogged roads, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Deanne Criswell said.

Compounding the suffering, parts of Louisiana and Mississippi were under heat advisories, with a heat index in much of the area reaching 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, “Nobody is satisfied” with the estimate that power may not be restored for 30 days. He expressed hope the 20,000 line workers in the state and thousands more en route could finish sooner.

“We all want air conditioning....Even if you have a generator, after so many days they fail,” Edwards said.

At Ochsner St. Anne Hospital southwest of New Orleans, 6,000-gallon tanker trucks pumped fuel and water into tanks behind the hospital to keep the air conditioning running. The medical center closed to all but a few emergency patients.

New Orleans’ restaurants, many of which had closed ahead of the storm, also faced an uncertain future due to a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, mirroring - at least for now - the issues that plagued businesses for weeks in the wake of Katrina.

“This is definitely feeling like Katrina,” said Lisa Blount, the public relations director at Antoine’s, a French Quarter landmark and the city’s oldest eatery. “To hear the power is potentially out for two to three weeks, that is devastating.”

Even the power generators were hazardous. Nine people in St. Tammany Parish northeast of New Orleans were taken to the hospital overnight for carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas- fueled generator, local media reported.

Power officials have told leaders in Jefferson Parish south of New Orleans that its roughly 440,000 people may have to manage without electricity for a month or longer after utility poles toppled across the county, Councilman Deano Bonano said in a telephone interview.

“The damage from this is far worse than Katrina from a wind standpoint,” said Bonano. ‘THEY HAVE NOTHING’

Among the four deaths were two people killed in the collapse of a southeastern Mississippi highway that critically injured 10 others. One man died attempting to drive through high water in New Orleans and another when a tree fell on a Baton Rouge home.

The swampy areas south of New Orleans took the brunt of the storm. High waters finally receded from the highway leading to Port Fourchon, Louisiana’s southernmost port, leaving behind a trail of dead fish. Seagulls swarmed the highway to eat them.

Port Fourchon suffered extensive damage, and some roads were still not passable. Officials were only allowing emergency responders through to Grand Isle, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. It could take weeks before the roads were fully passable, they said.

A gas station stocked with fuel in Mathews, a community in Lafourche Parish, had a line of cars stretching for at least a mile.

More than half the residents of Jefferson Parish rode out the storm at home, Bonano said, and many were left with nothing.

“There are no grocery stores open, no gas stations open. So they have nothing,” he said.

HIGHWAY ‘WASHED OUT’

The weakened remnants of the storm dumped heavy rain in neighboring Mississippi on Tuesday as it traveled toward Alabama and Tenneessee. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding were possible on Wednesday in the mid-Atlantic region and southern New England, forecasters said.

Sheriff’s deputies in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana were investigating the disappearance of a 71-year-old man after an apparent alligator attack in the flood waters.

The man’s wife told authorities that she saw a large alligator attack her husband on Monday in the tiny community of Avery Estates, about 35 miles (55 km) northeast of New Orleans. She stopped the attack and pulled her husband out of the flood water.

Seeing that his injuries were severe, she took a small boat to get help and came back to find her husband gone, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

(Reporting by Devikda Krishna Kumar in New Orleans and Peter Szekely in New York; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut, Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey, and Maria Caspani in New York; Writing by Maria Caspani and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Lisa Shumaker and Cynthia Osterman)

Remnants of Hurricane Ida Expected to Bring Several Inches of Rain Inland, Potential for More Flooding

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:58:17 GMT

Hurricane Ida hammered southeast Louisiana, as the Category 4 storm came with 150 mph winds. And as the system moves across the U.S., meteorologist Mike Hoffman says some areas could experience significant rainfall.

“We always have to be concerned beyond what happens off the coast with a hurricane like Ida, and it’s the rainfall that ends up being a huge problem as we look inland a lot farther from the coast,” says Hoffman.

Downgraded to a tropical depression Monday evening, Hoffman says some areas still saw six to 10 inches of rainfall over the past 24 hours, causing flooding concerns. And as Hoffman tracks the remnants making their way into the Midwest and Northeast, more rainfall is expected to hit portions of the U.S.

“You can see how it takes it right across the Tennessee Valley, parts of the Ohio Valley, especially the eastern sections. And then you get into eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia and Pennsylvania and on into southern New England. Some of those amounts could be huge amounts, mainly because of the mountainous regions in those parts of the country.”

We’ll continue to bring you the latest on the impact of Hurricane Ida, including impact to shipping and input production:

Hurricane Ida Shutters Exports with No Clear Timeline on How Long Shipping Delays Could Last

Hurricane Ida Idles Largest Glyphosate Production Plant in the U.S.

Hurricane Ida Shutters Ag Exports with No Clear Timeline on How Long Shipping Delays Could Last

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 22:05:38 GMT

Hurricane Ida packed a punch of 150 mph winds this weekend, leaving more than 1 million people in New Orleans without power. In the process, the monster storm crippled some grain shipping facilities in a key export area along the lower Mississippi River, creating concerns over how long export activity could be shuttered.

The shipping issues caused by Hurricane Ida could have a major impact on the overall export picture. The Port of South Louisiana is a major shipping hub, as it’s the largest grain port in the United States. Grain elevators within the Port handle more than 50% of all U.S. grain exports annually.

“You have a system that’s overall under stress and then you insert a weather event like this, and it kind of just adds insult to injury,” says Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soybean Transportation Coalition (STC) .

Markets Tumble Over Export Uncertainty

The initial reaction was part of the spark that sent commodity prices tumbling Sunday night into Monday. ProFarmer’s Brian Grete says while technical selling spurred a sell-off, the fundamental concerns over Hurricane Ida and the impact on a key shipping area also fueled the price pressure.

“In the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Ida really did have an impact there,” says Grete. “But it’s going to take some time, and markets don’t like uncertainty. We know that at a minimum (the) export situation will be slowed for a little bit. It could be slowed significantly, depending on what kind of damage there is to those loading rigs and those types of things. So, it’s kind of a wait and see.”

Corn, Soybean Shipments at Risk

Fears surfaced in the markets Monday as questions started to circulate over just how long the supply chains and river facilities will be disrupted in the lower Mississippi River area.

As of Saturday night, the U.S. Coast Guard ordered no vessel movement on the lower Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico to river mile 303. To put that into perspective, Steenhoek says Baton Rouge is at river mile 232 and New Orleans is at river mile 100.

According to STC, the lower Mississippi River is by far the largest export region for soybeans (61%) and corn (58%). Therefore, he says any lengthy disruption to export activity in this key region warrants industry attention and concern.

“They know that hurricanes are a frequent, unwanted guest in the area, so they build those facilities with resilience in mind to be able to absorb a punch, but 150 mile an hour sustained wind is quite a punch,” he says. “And you can’t really experience that kind of sustained wind, that severity of it, without having some degree of damage. And so that’s something that we’re going to certainly be monitoring, because that can be more long-lasting and have a real detrimental impact on our export program moving forward, particularly as the fall season starts to arrive.”

STC notes that while August isn’t a key time for soybean exports, there’s still a healthy amount of corn typically loaded onto barges this time of year. During the week ending August 19, STC notes 464,138 metric tons (18.3 million bushels) of corn, 141,859 metric tons (5.2 million bushels) of soybeans, and 71,696 metric tons (2.6 million bushels) of wheat were exported from the terminals along the lower Mississippi River. In total, 487 barges of grain were unloaded in the area that week alone.

Shipping Delays Add “Insult to Injury”

As shippers enter September, the concern for soybeans is over further delays, as any backup could impact soybean exports that start to pick up in September and typically run strong through February.

“The good news is we’ve got what looks to be a pretty healthy supply that can accommodate that demand. But as we all know, if you can’t connect supply with demand the transaction never occurs, and farmers will never be profitable. And so that’s something that is a real concern for us moving forward,” says Steenhoek. “When you put it within the broader context of an overly subscribed supply chain that is under stress, not only for like containerized shipping, but for bulk vessels as well, then all of a sudden, you insert a significant weather event like Hurricane Ida, and it can essentially add insult to injury.”

Reuters reported Monday that Hurricane Ida damaged a Louisiana grain export elevator owned by Cargill Inc., with reports the elevator “sustained significant damage.”

Flashbacks to Hurricane Katrina

From power outages to barges and ships placed on the sidelines while the area tries to recover, Steenhoek says the longer the system is disrupted, the more impact it could have on U.S. farmers.

“This is something that if the repercussions of this become more long-lasting, you’ll see farmer profitability suffer,” says Steenhoek. “We saw this with Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago, where farmers all of a sudden saw the price that they were offered 900 miles from the affected area in New Orleans, their price declined not because the demand fundamental had changed, not because the quality of the crop was compromised, but just simply because the supply chain wasn’t operating. And certainly, we don’t want to see something like that repeat itself,” he says.

Runaway Barges

As individuals in the impacted areas assess the total damage from Hurricane Ida, Steenhoek says the course of this week will provide clarity on the extent of shipping issues. But he says it’s more than just power outages that could influence the recovery timeline.

“When you think about these facilities, you know, you have the storage facilities, you have the loading apparatus that connects the storage to the actual vessels. We’ve heard reports of barges and other maritime vessels becoming unmoored and getting pushed along the river. And that’s never a welcomed development. And if it runs into a bridge, that could have an impact on that,” he says.

On Monday, that fear became a reality as officials reported 22 barges on the loose with one hitting a bridge in Laffite, La. Leaders believe the bridge is now structurally unsound, but no word on how that could impact barge traffic moving forward.

Cotton Prices Climb as Tropical Storm Swamps Market with Supply Fears

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 17:39:50 GMT

A tropical storm making its way across portions of the U.S. could dampen outlooks for cotton supplies this year. Parts of the southeast are dealing with heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred this week.

Cotton futures reached close to contract highs on Monday as the supply concerns grew about the impact of Tropical Storm could have on cotton production this year, that’s as the storm is predicted to bring rain to some key-cotton growing regions.

The production concerns came just days after USDA made unexpected cuts to its forecast for this year’s cotton crop, trimming both yield and production.

USDA says the U.S. is still expected to be about 17-and a quarter million bales, up 18% from last season.
But when you factor in the low beginning stocks and the protected use levels along with world demand, USDA penciled in a projected price of 80-cents a pound, up 13 cents from last year.

“It’s just been reflecting strong prices that we’ve seen in futures markets recently, and, and even globally the cotton ‘a and x’ prices above a dollar a pound, and all of this is, you know, really indicative of good demand globally,” says Mark Jekanowski, chairman of USDA Outlook Board.

USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer calling the news about cotton “pretty fantastic”.

North Carolina Farmers Brace for Hurricane Dorian

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:19:07 GMT

As the outer bands of hurricane Dorian approach North Carolina, farmers there are in a rush to harvest their crops. As they’ve learned the past three years, crops standing in the field can’t survive the massive rain and devastating wind that will accompany the category 3 hurricane. Linda Loveland, communications director for the North Carolina Farm Bureau, describes the situation as a “frenzy.”

“We’re getting some of the light bands coming through and a little bit of rain,” she told Clinton Griffiths on “AgriTalk” Thursday. “Right now, we’re on a big sweet potato and tobacco farm in eastern North Carolina in Princeton, and they have several hundred acres of sweet potatoes. It’s raining, not heavy yet, but they’re out there still digging. They’re in the tobacco fields, trying to get as many of those leaves harvested as possible. They’ll work until it gets too bad.”

September marks the peak of hurricane season, Loveland said. But this year is unique because many corn farmers planted later to avoid the drought that’s common in June and July. Those farmers are harvesting earlier than desired.

“They don’t want it all blown flat in the field,” she said. “They’re hoping they’re going to come out a little bit better than last year after Hurricane Florence.”

This is the second year in a row North Carolina has been hammered by catastrophic hurricanes. Loveland said she visited a farm this morning that lost 40% of their sweet potato crop and a few hundred acres of tobacco to hurricane Florence last year.

“We’ve had hurricanes, I think, three or four of the last four or five years,” she explained. “We need a good year to recover and that just hasn’t happened yet.”

Local farmers had high hopes 2019 would be a recovery year, Loveland said.

“The year started out rough with a drought early on. A lot of the corn crop dried up,” she said. “Whatever is left, they’re trying to get harvested before Dorian comes blowing through.”

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There is More Than One Tropical Storm to Be Concerned About

Georgia Farmers Say Hurricane Helene is Most Catastrophic, Costly Storm Ever

Farmers in southeast Georgia are still trying to recover from Hurricane Helene, the most catastrophic and costly hurricane they’ve ever seen, superseding even Hurricane Katrina.

Cleanup is underway, but it might take years to put the pieces back together. Farmers say with lower commodity prices, many were already on the financial brink before the storm.

Catastrophic Damage from Hurricane Helene

The loss from Hurricane Helene was devastating for farmers in southeast Georgia. A foot of rain and hurricane winds of 125 mph ripped through Coffey County, the epicenter.

“We were considered one of the hotspots for it because that was the highest-recorded wind. We had 30 tornadoes also come through this county at the same time during the hurricane,” says Van Grantham, a farmer in Coffee County, Ga.

He says the biggest loss was to timber as tree stands they’ve been growing for 35 to 40 years are completely gone and will cost $1,000 per acre to cleanup and restore.

“There was probably 75% to as high as 100% damage on timber stands,” he adds.

Damage from Hurricane Helene to the timber trees in southeast Georgia.

(Andrew Lyon )

Severe Impact on Agriculture in Coffey County

The Granthams also have 215 acres of peanuts to harvest and 1,400 acres of cotton. The latter has been nearly wiped out.

“We’ve lost all of our cotton acres and peanuts,” Grantham says. “We should have been midway through harvest, if not three-quarters. We can’t get into the fields, and they’re saying everything is down [power] for another three to four weeks.”

Damage from Hurricane Helene to the cotton crop in southeast Georgia.

(Andrew Lyon)

Livestock Losses

In addition to row crops, the Granthams also lost livestock. They lost several cattle and over 100,000 chickens on their operation.

It’s a story of dramatic losses and damage when you talk to any farmer in southeast Georgia right now.

“It’s about a four-county area that was hit. It’s counties like Kulfi County, Jeff Davis and Atkinson County,” he adds. “I know there’s 598 chicken houses total, but there’s 298 on the ground.”

The Financial Hit From the Storm

Thousands of farms and homes are still out of electricity and water. Farmers in southeast Georgia have met with state and federal officials with the message they need disaster assistance immediately.

“It was already struggling before, and then this just kind of added way more on us physically, mentally and financially. I mean, this is a financial burden with the devastation,” adds Chase Grantham, Van’s son.

The damage caused by Hurricane Helene to infrastructure in southeast Georgia is monumental. Not only did the hurricane pack a punch of high winds, but it also brought more than 30 tornadoes to the area.

(Andrew Lyon)

While the immediate needs are clear, Chase says it could take farmers several years to rebuild and they may never be whole.

Seeing the Devastation First-Hand

Farm Journal’s Trust in Food team traveled to southeast Georgia last week and saw the devastation first-hand. The team spoke to growers, walked cotton fields torn to shreds by the storm and saw infrastructure crushed by the storm. Trust in Food’s Andrew Lyon spoke to AgriTalk’s Chip Flory about what the team saw last week and the impact it could have on growers for years to come. You can listen to that conversation here.

Hurricane

USDA Launches New Round of Disaster Aid: What Producers Need to Know to Sign Up

Stage 2 Designed for “Shallow Losses” and Quality Loss

Specialty Crops Expected to Be a Major Share of Applicants

Producers MUST Enroll in Person, Fordyce Urges Them to Prepare Now

Billions Already Distributed And Billions More to Come

What Farmers Need to Know

1. You must enroll in person at your FSA county office.

No prefilled applications will be mailed.

2. Stage 2 covers 2023 through 2024 weather-related losses.

3. Specialty crops likely benefit most.

4. Prepare documents in advance.

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North Carolina Farmers Brace for Hurricane Dorian

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