Natural Disasters Drastically Change Farming Conditions
By Hannah Lonergan, The State Times
On Aug. 25, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would offer assistance to farmers and ranchers who had been affected by the devastating wildfires on the West Coast. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an emergency loan program for farmers to help them recover and reestablish themselves after a natural disaster.
Fall has already begun, which means we’re in prime harvest season for many areas on the West Coast. Farmers and livestock producers have already faced a number of challenges so far this year, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic throwing them for a loop.
Farmers need to be concerned not only with evacuating if a fire is approaching their area, but also of the loss of income if their produce is not accepted by the buyer. The smoke from wildfires drastically affects the operations of vineyards in California. Grapes can easily be ruined if they are exposed to too much smoke, decreasing the quality. Other difficulties include providing PPE for their workers. Many farmers had their harvesters work around the clock to save as many crops as possible. When the air quality gets bad, they are required to provide N95 masks which are already in high demand due to COVID-19. Workers on farms are also losing wages as farmers cannot afford to pay them for missed days due to unsafe working conditions.
On Sept. 10, the USDA announced that it would also be providing assistance to rural communities, farmers, ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the recent Hurricane Laura. The hurricane had a storm surge of 17 feet and was a category four hurricane when it hit the coast of Louisiana in late August. The USDA remains confident in its ability to help the farmers on the Gulf Coast throughout the 2020 hurricane season.
Hurricane Laura caused an estimated 535 million dollars in damages to Louisiana’s farmers. Many rice, hemp, fish and timber farmers had significant losses due to the harsh weather and loss of power.