LSU AgCenter Finds Agriculture Loss From August Flood Totals $277 Million

An updated analysis from the LSU AgCenter finds agriculture losses from the August flooding totaled nearly $277-million. The original estimate was $110-million in damage. AgCenter Economist Kurt Guidry says rice and soybeans were the two hardest hit crops.

“We look at both rice and soybeans, both of those are around the $68-$69 million range and those two are by far the largest two commodities from a dollar standpoint that were impacted from the storm.”

Guidry says row crop producers affected by the flooding are eligible for emergency loans. He says corn was the next hardest hit commodity taking a 44-million dollar hit and cotton is at $27-million.

“Prior to the middle of August, everybody was thinking we were going to have one of the best cotton crops we’ve ever had and in about a two week period it went from one of the best to a below average crop.”

Agriculture losses from both the March and August floods are a combined 367-million dollars. Guidry says livestock also suffered greatly during last month’s floods and the Farm Service agency has programs to help livestock producers.

“That’s across cattle, horses, sheep and goats, pigs. We’re looking at about 1,300 head that have been reported as lost because of the storms.”