Here is the first published report I have seen on the agricultural damage due to Hurricane Idalia from Brad Haire in Southeast Farm Press. It discusses the significant losses to the pecan crop this year along with the destruction of many vegetable plots in Florida and Georgia. While the hurricane traversed an area that was lightly populated in Florida, there is a lot of agricultural land that was affected by the wind and rain from the storm. In addition to the loss of pecan nuts and trees in the counties closest to Idalia’s path, some cotton fields also saw damage due to the winds. The rain from the storm is already increasing disease pressure from boll rot and other diseases in the wettest areas.
I have also seen on Twitter that blueberries generally did pretty well but blackberries took a much bigger hit from the wind and that pine plantations were also severely impacted along the storm path. Evaluation of losses is ongoing and there will be additional delayed damage visible in crops in the future after the storm’s impacts become more apparent.
Downed pecan trees in Berrien County, Ga. Credit: Lenny Wells, UGA Extension
