MONTGOMERY, ALA. (RFD-TV) — Alabama farmers are assessing crop losses, downed timber, and other damage following Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall Friday night as a Category 2 storm.
Mitt Walker with the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) said cotton appears particularly vulnerable because much of the crop remained in the field when the storm hit. Producers are still gathering information to determine the extent of the damage.
“We’re still gathering information as far as what the losses may be,” Walker said. “Definitely going to see some impact to the cotton crop. Any time you have a late-season storm like this moving in, the cotton crop’s always pretty vulnerable.”
Cotton Among the Most Vulnerable Crops
Dry conditions across Alabama had allowed farmers to move ahead with harvest, but much of the cotton crop remained exposed to the storm.
“Most of the corn crop has been harvested by this time of year, but about 90, maybe 95% of the cotton crop was still out there, so that was probably the most vulnerable,” Walker said.
He also reported potential losses in unharvested corn, downed timber, and poultry losses associated with power outages.
“It’s been a tough weekend for folks, particularly in the southern part of the state,” Walker said.
Walker said he hoped peanut crops would fare better, although the full impact was still being assessed.
Damage Estimates and Relief Efforts
Walker said it is too early to put a dollar amount on the storm’s damage to Alabama agriculture.
He has heard reports of particularly severe impacts in some areas, drawing comparisons to Hurricane Ivan.
“I have heard at least a couple of people say that it was, in some areas, as severe as Hurricane Ivan that a lot of us remember from several years back,” Walker said.
The Alabama Farmers Federation expects to work with officials in the coming days to assess losses and determine what assistance may be available.
“I’m sure disaster designation will be warranted,” Walker said. He added that a disaster designation can make it easier for certain Farm Service Agency relief programs to be triggered.
Cleanup Continues Amid Power Outages
In the immediate aftermath, farmers and rural communities are dealing with downed trees, damaged fences and power outages.
“Just the cleanup process is difficult,” Walker said. “A lot of areas still don’t have power.”
He said reports of outages continued in southwestern and southeastern Alabama at the time of the interview.
For those looking to help affected communities, Walker emphasized the value of support and prayers as residents work through cleanup and recovery.
“It’s been a tough weekend for folks,” he said.
High Costs Add to Farm Financial Pressure
The storm comes as farmers are already managing elevated production costs and uncertainty in commodity markets.
Walker said production costs have remained a concern for Alabama growers. Although some markets rallied later in the year and prices improved, fuel expenses continue to pressure farm budgets.
“When you’re talking six-dollar diesel, and this storm just really adds insult to injury,” Walker said.
He said the damage comes at a particularly difficult time for producers hoping for a successful harvest.
“We needed a good harvest this year,” Walker said. “And unfortunately, that’s not going to be the case for a lot of our people.”
