© Copyright April 2019 by Anne Roberts Brody, Policy Analyst
Introduction
Hurricane Michael roared onto the Florida Panhandle
on October 10, 2018. A Category 4 storm with sustained
winds of 155 miles per hour — just shy of the 157 miles per
hour necessary to be classified a Category 5 storm — it was
the third strongest hurricane to strike the United States
mainland. As Michael moved northeast across Alabama and
Georgia, the hurricane’s fierce winds, towering storm surge
and punishing rain caused billions of dollars in damage to
homes, businesses and infrastructure in the Southern region.
For farmers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia, the timing
of the storm could not have been worse. Just as harvest
season for many vegetable and row crops* was beginning,
like a plague of locusts, Michael devoured nearly every
farm in its path. This SLC Regional Resource, current
as of April 15, 2019, reviews the agricultural impact of
Hurricane Michael on Florida, Alabama and Georgia.
Across the three states, cotton and timber were hardest
hit, but damage to other agricultural products and infra-
structure was equally devastating.
The 2018 cotton crop in the South was expected to be
a record-setter, with farmers anticipating a combination
*
A row crop is a crop that can be planted in rows wide enough
to allow it to be tilled or otherwise cultivated by agricultural
machinery. Examples of row crops include sunflowers, potatoes,
cotton and soybeans.
of good market prices and high yields that could provide
strong financial footing for future years. When Hurricane
Michael made landfall, cotton harvest in Florida, Alabama
and Georgia was in the early stages. In the crop’s life-cycle,
this is cotton’s most vulnerable phase because the leaves
have dropped, exposing the delicate fiber. Although a
majority of farmers have crop insurance, most policies only
cover a certain percentage of the 10-year average yield.
While this provides some relief, it still is far below the
record profit cotton farmers were anticipating in 2018.
As the storm moved across the region, Hurricane Michael’s
tempestuous winds snapped trees like matchsticks, devas-
tating the timber industry. Following a hurricane, salvaging
fallen timber can be particularly challenging and extends
far beyond clearing debris. In rural areas, felled trees can
block road access, making transportation of timber and
equipment difficult. When farmers are unable to access the
equipment necessary to salvage felled trees or are unable
to promptly transport trees to processing facilities, addi-
tional losses are incurred. As downed forest debris dries,
the potential for wildfire conditions increases. Even those
trees that are damaged, but not felled, may die or show
decreased production in future seasons due to limb and/or
leaf loss. Damaged trees also are more vulnerable to dis-
ease. Timber mills in the impacted areas also incurred
damage or were rendered inoperable by power loss, leav-
ing few options for the processing of salvageable timber.
Unlike vegetable and row crops, trees take years to
mature and produce, resulting in losses that will be
felt for generations. Compounding this, some farmers
use their timber stands as collateral for loans used to
operate their farms.1 For these farmers, the loss of
timber also means the loss of a significant safety net.
Florida
Hurricane Michael was the strongest storm on record
to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle. Estimates
of total agricultural losses in the state vary. According
to economists with the University of Florida Insti-
tute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the storm
caused production losses totaling $158 million for
the state’s agricultural industries and an additional
$1.3 billion in timber losses.2 Meanwhile, the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
(FDACS) estimates losses to production agriculture
(including timber) totaled more than $1.4 billion.3
Timber ($1.3 billion), cotton ($56 million) and pea-
nuts ($29.5 million) sustained the greatest crop losses,
while the cattle ($43 million) and green industries*
($16 million) also suffered.
Nearly 47 percent of the state is forested, with a large
portion clustered in northwest Florida.4 This por-
tion of the state was hardest hit by the hurricane’s
wind. The Forest Service Division of FDACS esti-
mates that Hurricane Michael damaged a total of
2.8 million acres of forest land at an estimated value
of $1.3 billion at current average timber stumpage†
prices.5 Adjusting for average annual harvest lev-
els, and assuming a 10 percent timber salvage rate,
the loss for the 2018–2019 season is estimated at
$147 million.6 According to the Florida Forestry
Association, the timber industry employs approxi-
mately 120,000 people in the state, contributing a
total of $25 billion to the state’s economy.7
Damage to Florida’s cotton crop was catastrophic.
Typically harvested in October, approximately
90 percent of the state’s crop remained in the field
*
Florida’s green industries include greenhouses, nurseries
and floriculture producers.
†
Stumpage price is the price a buyer pays for the right to
harvest timber from a given land base.
2 WEATHERING THE STORM
About the Data
Data on agricultural losses were collected from publicly avail-
able reports published by the University of Florida Institute
of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System, Alabama Forestry Commission and the
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Given inher-
ent differences in data collection and measurement among
these sources, figures have been rounded for the purposes
of editorial standardization.
when Hurricane Michael struck.8 The FDACS esti-
mates approximately 51,400 acres were a total loss,
with no salvageable cotton, while 25,500 acres expe-
rienced severe damage with losses in the range of
85 percent, and 39,500 acres experienced significant
damage with an estimated 50 percent loss.9 In total,
an estimated $50 million in cotton crops was lost.
As a comparison, in 2017, the state’s total cotton
production was valued at $52.4 million.10 Beyond
direct crop loss, infrastructure associated with the
cotton industry — such as barns, sheds and farming
equipment — also was impacted. These ancillary losses
are expected to exceed $6 million, with total losses
estimated at $56 million.11
Nationally, Florida ranks fourth in the value of pro-
duction of peanuts.12 In 2017, the state’s peanut crop
production was valued at $153.9 million.13 Often
grown in rotation with cotton, peanuts are a major
crop in northern Florida. Like other ground crops,
peanuts are better able to withstand the impacts
of hurricane-force winds. At the time Michael
struck, approximately half of the state’s peanut crop
already had been harvested.14 The FDACS esti-
mates $23 million in peanut crop losses. Associated
infrastructure also sustained significant damage.
Processing facilities were heavily impacted by the
hurricane’s winds and many facilities lost power for
several days. Without the ability to heat-dry peanuts
in processing facilities, peanuts must be dried in the
field, risking further crop loss. Damages to infra-
structure, including drying facilities, warehouses and
sampling stations, are estimated at $6.5 million.15
Total losses for the state’s peanut industry are esti-
mated to exceed $29 million.16
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Cattle are one of Florida’s top agricultural com-
modities in terms of farm receipts. According to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic
Research Service (ERS), the cattle and calves com-
modity group ranked fourth among the state’s top
commodities in 2017, with farm receipts exceeding
$580 million.17 Damage to this sector caused by
Hurricane Michael centers largely on infrastructure,
including fencing, barns and equipment. Keeping
cattle out of harm’s way is a significant expense, often
requiring additional purchases of feed and forage to
mitigate the loss of hay. Providing water for relocated
herds may be complicated further by loss of electric-
ity, rendering water pumps inoperable. As a result of
the widespread damage, the FDACS cautions that
some cows may not carry calves to weaning — or even
breed — in the following year.18 Field reports indi-
cate that a significant number of livestock animals,
including beef cattle, were unaccounted for during
the hurricane.19 Most of the animals disappeared
from farms and ranches with damaged fencing or
enclosures. Dead cattle also were reported, though
the exact number is not known. Total ancillary losses
to the cattle sector are estimated at $37.6 million,
while direct losses are estimated at an additional
$5.8 million.20
With a unique climate and long growing season,
Florida’s nurseries provide plants for landscapers and
agricultural producers across the country. Statewide,
the sector’s annual sales are estimated at $2.75 billion,
with approximately $80 million in sales from the
region impacted by Hurricane Michael.21 Total losses,
including crop losses, for Florida’s green industry are
estimated at $16.1 million.22
During the 2019 legislative session, dozens of bills
have been filed to provide funding and relief for
cleanup efforts, as well as for rebuilding communi-
ties, schools and infrastructure in areas impacted by
Hurricane Michael. To offset impacts to the state’s
agriculture sector, Commissioner of Agriculture and
Consumer Services Nikki Fried has requested an
additional $39 million in storm-related funding from
the Legislature.23 Likewise, Governor Ron DeSantis
has announced plans to direct almost $2 billion in
SLC REGIONAL RESOURCE
state and federal spending to help the state recover
from the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael
and other recent hurricanes.24
Alabama
Rolling through the southeast corner of the state,
Hurricane Michael caused approximately $300 mil-
lion in damage to Alabama’s agricultural opera-
tions, including $204 million in direct agricultural
losses.25 Known as the Wiregrass Region, this portion
of the state has particularly fertile soil and a robust
agricultural economy. As a result of the damage
caused by Hurricane Michael, the Alabama Coop-
erative Extension System estimates that local, state
and federal tax revenues could decline by as much
as $22.8 million.26 In terms of agricultural impact,
cotton ($107.7 million), livestock ($24.5 million) and
timber ($20.9 million) sustained the greatest losses,
while farm infrastructure ($11.9 million) and pea-
nuts ($11.3 million) also suffered.
Cotton farmers in the state were anticipating a
record-setting harvest in 2018, due to a combination
of high yield and good market prices.27 Favorable
weather conditions throughout the growing season,
including a reprieve from the August drought that
plagued cotton farmers previously, were expected to
produce high yields. According to the USDA, an esti-
mated output of 1,065 pounds per acre was expected,
nearly 100 pounds more per acre than the previous
record yield.28 Yet, with most of the crop still in the
field when the hurricane struck, cotton accounted
for more than half of the state’s direct agricultural
losses.29 The Alabama Cooperative Extension System
estimates total crop losses for cotton at approximately
$107.7 million.30 Extension records show that farm-
ers in the state planted more than 435,000 acres of
cotton in 2017, producing crops worth an estimated
$292 million.31 That same year, cotton ranked fifth
among the state’s top agricultural commodities,
according to the USDA ERS.32
Cattle are one of Alabama’s top agricultural com-
modities in terms of farm receipts. According to the
USDA ERS, the cattle and calves commodity group
ranked second among the state’s top commodities in
WEATHERING THE STORM 3
2017, with farm receipts exceeding $499 million.33
While farmers in the state did not report high num-
bers of livestock deaths, their operations sustained
significant harm to associated infrastructure, par-
ticularly fencing. Fence replacement costs in the
state’s cattle sector total almost $18 million, with
another $5.6 million in debris removal expenses.34
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System esti-
mates that Hurricane Michael cost livestock operators
a total of $24.5 million.35
Alabama is home to 23 million acres of forest-
land, the third largest commercial forestland in the
nation.36 The state’s forest industry is an important
driver of rural development in the area, support-
ing approximately 41,700 jobs and $2.1 billion in
direct employment earnings.37 With an estimated
$20.9 million in direct losses and an additional
$11.8 million associated with the loss of pine straw,
the state’s timber industry was severely impacted.38
Surveys conducted by the Alabama Forestry Com-
mission indicate approximately 42,400 acres were
destroyed by the storm, including 13,400 acres of
pine, 2,900 acres of hardwood and 26,000 acres
of mixed pine and hardwood.39 The state’s forest
industry is an important driver of rural devel-
opment in the area, supporting approximately
41,700 jobs and $2.1 billion in direct employ-
ment earnings.40
In addition to crop damage, Hurricane Michael
caused an estimated $11.9 million in damages to
farm infrastructure, including structural damages
on farms and to agribusinesses.41 The lasting effect
of destroyed and damaged farm infrastructure likely
will ripple across the state’s economy for years to
come as farmers struggle to replace equipment and
rebuild structures and fencing. Likewise, damage
to the state’s agribusiness infrastructure, including
cotton gins and peanut processing facilities, could
cause further complications for farmers. Damaged
and/or inoperable agribusiness infrastructure could
lead to delays in both the harvest and sale of remain-
ing crops, leaving already cash-strapped farmers with
few options.
4 WEATHERING THE STORM
Although peanuts, which grow underground, are
more resistant to storm damage, the commodity
was among the most impacted in the state, with
losses estimated at $11.3 million.42 In 2017, the state
produced an estimated $156 million in peanuts,
with most of the crop originating in the Wiregrass
Region — the area most impacted by Hurricane
Michael. Although peanuts do not rank among
the state’s top commodities, the Alabama Peanut
Producers Association estimates half of the peanuts
produced in the United States come from a 100-mile
radius of Dothan, a city in the Wiregrass Region.43
Georgia
Hurricane Michael (Category 4) was one of only five
major hurricanes — defined as a Category 3 or higher —
to make landfall in Georgia since recordkeeping began
in 1851.44 As it swept across the state, the storm flat-
tened trees, demolished crops and destroyed chicken
coops, causing an estimated $2.5 billion in damages
to the state’s agriculture sector.45 Annually, agricul-
ture contributes approximately $73.3 billion to the
state’s economy, and one in seven Georgians works
in agriculture, forestry or related fields.46 Timber
($763 million), cotton ($550 million – $600 million)
and pecans ($560 million) sustained the greatest
losses, while vegetables ($480 million) and the poul-
try industry ($28 million) also suffered.47
In 2017, Georgia led the nation in the volume of
annual timber harvested.48 However, with more
than 2.3 million acres destroyed or damaged by
the hurricane — contributing to an estimated loss
of $763 million — the state’s timber industry likely
will feel the impacts of the storm for generations.49
Approximately 300,000 acres (16 percent) of the
state’s timber were classified as catastrophically dam-
aged and an estimated 1.4 million acres (61 percent)
were deemed moderately damaged.50 Recorded dam-
age included breakage of trunks, tops and branches,
as well as bent and toppled trees. Beyond the direct
damages, the University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension estimates an additional $170 million in
associated agriculture sector losses resulting from
reduced output.51
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Hurricane Michael cut a punishing path across
the state’s cotton-growing region where, like their
neighbors in Florida and Alabama, farmers were
anticipating record yields. When the hurricane struck,
only about 15 percent of the state’s crop had been
harvested.52 As a result, some fields in the southwest
portion of the state were declared a complete loss.
According to the University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension, loss estimates range from $550 million
to $600 million, with an additional $74 million in
associated agriculture sector losses.53 In 2017, upland
cotton lint ranked second among the state’s top com-
modities in terms of farm receipts.54 According to the
USDA ERS, that same year, cotton was the state’s
most exported agricultural commodity and the state
ranked second overall in cotton exports.55
The state’s pecan industry, which accounts for
one-third of the nation’s overall supply, sustained
unprecedented losses.56 Estimates from the University
of Georgia Cooperative Extension suggest the indus-
try incurred $100 million in direct crop losses,
$260 million in lost trees and $200 million in future
income, for a total loss of $560 million.57 Due to the
significant number of high-producing trees that were
lost, the industry will feel the impact of the storm
for years to come. Beyond direct losses, the state
sustained an additional $24.7 million in agriculture
sector losses related to the pecan industry.58
Mid-October is an important harvest time for
Georgia’s vegetable farmers. When Hurricane Michael
struck, many of the state’s late summer and fall veg-
etable crops were near, or in the midst, of harvest.
The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension
estimates that 35 percent to 40 percent of the state’s
vegetable income is connected to the fall growing sea-
son.59 The vegetable industry incurred $480 million
in direct losses due to Hurricane Michael, with
another $69 million in agriculture sector losses related
to the industry.60 The most affected vegetable crops
were sweet corn, peppers (bell and specialty), egg-
plants, cucumber, squash, tomatoes, snap beans and
early-planted cabbage and greens.61 Crop losses for
sweet corn alone exceeded 90 percent.62
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Poultry is the state’s leading agricultural industry.63
According to the Georgia Poultry Federation, the
industry contributes more than $18.4 billion to the
state’s economy each year.64 The USDA ERS found
that, in 2017, broilers* were the state’s top agricultural
commodity, while chicken eggs ranked fourth.65 That
same year, broiler meat was the state’s third most-
exported agricultural commodity.66 During Hurricane
Michael, more than 90 poultry houses were destroyed
or significantly damaged, resulting in approximately
$20 million in direct losses.67,68 Additionally, farmers
lost more than 2 million chickens in the storm, result-
ing in another $8 million in direct losses.69 Beyond
the direct impacts to birds and poultry houses, the
industry incurred $20 million in associated agricul-
ture sector losses.70
In response to the unprecedented damage to the
state’s agriculture sector, then-Governor Nathan Deal
called a special session of the General Assembly in
November 2018. During the special session, law-
makers approved two bills aimed at providing relief
for the state’s agriculture industry. House Bill 1EX
provided $270 million toward hurricane relief,
including $55 million for disaster relief assistance to
impacted farmers and $20 million in assistance for
cleanup efforts for timberland and pecan growers.71
Meanwhile, House Bill 4EX extended $200 million
in income tax credits to timber and pecan farmers.72
Additionally, in February 2019, lawmakers approved
a mid-year budget that included an additional
$20 million in low-interest, disaster-relief loans for
farmers affected by Hurricane Michael.73
Conclusion
With punishing winds and torrential rain, Hurricane
Michael struck Florida, Alabama and Georgia just
as many of the states’ most valuable crops were
nearing harvest, devastating the states’ agriculture
sectors. Combined, the agriculture sector in these
three states sustained losses exceeding $3.2 billion.
With $2.5 billion in agricultural losses, Georgia’s
producers and agribusiness incurred more damage
*
A broiler is any chicken that is bred and raised specifi-
cally for meat production.
WEATHERING THE STORM 5
than Florida and Alabama combined. The most
impacted commodity, timber, sustained combined
direct losses of more than $2.1 billion. Meanwhile,
the cotton industry sustained a combined direct
loss of between $713.7 million and $763.7 million.
Providing sufficient relief funds likely will place sig-
nificant pressure on state budgets. Although federal
disaster relief funds sometimes are authorized, they
cannot be relied upon to alleviate all damages. Once
authorized, such funds often can take years to arrive,
as those in affected areas continue to languish.
When farmers lost their crops in October 2018, they
also lost substantial resources to run their farms in
2019. These losses mean that many small farmers will
be unable to pay off their bank loans after harvest,
requiring them to carry the debt forward. This, in
turn, impacts the ability of small farmers to borrow
sufficient funds to finance another growing season.
As they prepare their land for the upcoming plant-
ing season, farmers also face the added expense of
replacing barns, livestock and irrigation systems.
Meanwhile, ongoing trade wars and price uncertainty
continue to drive prices down and drive input costs
up across all agricultural industries.
The important steps taken by the Georgia General
Assembly during the 2018 special session will offset
some of the losses suffered, particularly in the timber
and pecan industries. However, many small farmers
across all three states continue to struggle to regain
their financial footing in the wake of the hurricane.
As other states consider strategies to support their
agriculture sectors following natural disasters, some
options include grant programs, sales tax exemptions
on farm equipment (such as tractors, irrigation infra-
structure and materials used in rebuilding structures
and fences), if not already implemented, and zero- or
low-interest loans to provide a financial bridge to
the next harvest. Narrowly tailoring these benefits
will ensure they flow only to affected farmers in
disaster areas.
Natural disasters resulting in significant damage
to timber often can increase an area’s risk of wild-
fire, leading to additional losses for the industry
6 WEATHERING THE STORM
and posing threats to human health and safety. To
mitigate this, especially during periods of drought,
increased resources for wildfire prevention is criti-
cal. States may also consider programs to encourage
reforestation. By providing funding to assist forestry
commissions in producing and distributing additional
seedlings in severely impacted areas, states can assist
timber producers in getting back on their feet while
reducing the risk of wild fires.
As the agriculture sector in Florida, Alabama and
Georgia continues to recover from Hurricane Michael,
the 2019 hurricane season (June 1 – November 30) is
just around the corner. Meanwhile, legislative sessions
in the Southern region are drawing to a close, leaving
little time to consider disaster recovery measures for
future events.
Damage from Hurricane Michael is expected to have
a far-reaching impact not just on farms, but also on
agribusinesses such as cotton gins, peanut proces-
sors, packers and restaurants that source their produce
directly from farmers. For many, the ripple effects
of Hurricane Michael will be felt for years — if not
generations — to come.
Endnotes
1. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture,” Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, accessed
January 16, 2019, http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/files/2018/11/
FDACA-Hurricane-Michael-Agriculture-Damage-Assessment-Report.pdf.
2. “UF/IFAS Economists: Hurricane Michael Caused $158 Million
in Florida Agricultural Production Losses,” UF/IFAS News,
October 26, 2018, https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2018/10/26/
uf-ifas-economists-hurricane-michael-caused-158-million-in-florida-
agricultural-production-losses/.
3. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
4. Ibid.
5. Alan W. Hodges, Christa D. Court and Caleb A. Stair, Economic
Losses for Florida Agriculture Resulting from Hurricane Michael,
University of Florida-IFAS, Food and Resource Economics
Department, October 26, 2018, http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/
files/2018/11/Economic-Losses-for-Florida-Agriculture-Resulting-
from-Hurricane-Michael.pdf
6. Ibid.
7. Graham Brink, “Hurricane Michael’s Effect on Timber Industry
‘Catastrophic,’ Adam Putnam Says,” Tampa Bay Times, October 19,
2018, https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/Hurricane-Michael-s-
affect-on-timber-industry-catastrophic-Adam-Putnam-says-_172795365.
8. “Update on Florida Crop Damage Caused by Hurricane Michael,” UF/
IFAS News, October 15, 2018, http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2018/10/15/
update-on-florida-crop-damage-caused-by-hurricane-michael/.
9. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
SLC REGIONAL RESOURCE
10. “Florida Agriculture Overview and Statistics,” accessed
January 23, 2019, https://www.freshfromflorida.com/
Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-Overview-and-Statistics.
11. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
12. “Florida Agriculture Overview and Statistics.”
13. Florida Agriculture Fast Facts 2018, UF/IFAS University of Florida,
https://ifas.ufl.edu/media/ifasufledu/ifas-dark-blue/docs/pdf/impact/
ICS_FloridaAgFactsBooklet2018.web.pdf.
14. Hodges, Court and Stair, Economic Losses for Florida Agriculture.
15. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
16. Ibid.
17. “State Data,” United States Department of Agriculture Economic
Research Service, accessed January 25, 2019, https://data.ers.usda.
gov/reports.aspx?StateFIPS=12&StateName=Florida&ID=17854.
18. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
19. Hodges, Court and Stair, Economic Losses for Florida Agriculture.
20. “Hurricane Michael’s Damage to Florida Agriculture.”
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. Jim Turner, “Nikki Fried Spotlights Farmers Still Suffering in
Michael’s Afternath,” Sun-Sentinel, April 6, 2019.
24. John Kennedy, “Florida Legislature to Look at Hurricane
Michael Recovery,” The Florida Times-Union, accessed
March 8, 2019, https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190304/
florida-legislature-to-look-at-hurricane-michael-recovery/1.
25. Dennis Pillion, “Hurricane Michael Cost Alabama Estimated
$307 Million, 2,500 Jobs,” AL.com, November 1, 2018,
https://www.al.com/news/2018/11/hurricane-michael-cost-alabama-
estimated-307-million-2500-jobs.html.
26. Ibid.
27. Dennis Pillion, “Cotton Crop Takes Hit Alabama Farmers Fear
‘Once in a Lifetime’ Harvest Could Be Lost,” Birmingham News,
October 12, 2018, Sec. A, p. 14.
28. Katie Nichols, “Crop Insurance Not a Guaranteed Payout for
Farmers,” Extension Daily, October 17, 2018, https://www.aces.edu/
blog/topics/farming/crop-insurance-not-a-guaranteed-payout-for-farmers/.
29. Dennis Pillion, “Hurricane Michael May Cost Alabama Farmers
$204 Million,” AL.com, October 24, 2018, https://expo.al.com/
news/erry-2018/10/365a94e71b4323/hurricane-michael-may-cost-
ala.html#incart_river_index.
30. Hurricane Michael Alabama Agriculture 2018 Damage Assessment Report,
Alabama Cooperative Extension System, accessed November 1, 2018,
https://wp.aces.edu/michaelrecovery/wp-content/uploads/sites/163/2019/01/
hurricane-michael-agriculture-damage-assessment-report.pdf.
31. Pillion, “Cotton Crop Takes Hit Alabama Farmers Fear Harvest Lost.”
32. “State Data,” United States Department of Agriculture Economic
Research Service, accessed March 5, 2019, https://data.ers.usda.
gov/reports.aspx?ID=17854.
33. Ibid.
34. Justin Miller, “Hurricane Deals Heavy Blow to Alabama
Agriculture,” Extension Daily, October 23, 2018, http://news.aces.edu/
blog/2018/10/23/hurricane-deals-heavy-blow-to-alabama-agriculture/.
35. Pillion, “Hurricane Michael Cost Alabama $307 Million.”
36. Forest Resource Report 2017, Alabama Forestry Commission,
accessed March 5, 2019, http://www.forestry.alabama.gov/Pages/
Management/Forms/Forest_Resource_Report_2017.pdf.
37. Ibid.
38. Hurricane Michael Alabama Agriculture 2018 Damage Assessment
Report, Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
39. Anna Beahm, “Alabama Lost $20 Million in Timber to
Hurricane Michael,” AL.com, October 23, 2018, https://www.
al.com/hurricane/2018/10/alabama-lost-20-million-in-timber-to-
hurricane-michael.html.
40. Forest Resource Report 2017, Alabama Forestry Commission.
41. Pillion, “Hurricane Michael May Cost Alabama Farmers $204 Million.”
SLC REGIONAL RESOURCE
42. Hurricane Michael Alabama Agriculture 2018 Damage Assessment
Report, Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
43. Pillion, “Cotton Crop Takes Hit Alabama Farmers Fear Harvest Lost.”
44. Jennifer Brett, “How Hurricane Michael Made History,” The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, accessed March 6, 2019, https://www.myajc.com/
weather/hurricanes/georgia-hurricane-michael-marks-new-kind-storm/
kwck2IdHMVCeLioHENH3WL/.
45. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Agricultural Economy,
University of Georgia Extension, November 1, 2018,
http://agr.georgia.gov/GDA-Hurricane-Response/media/2018-
Hurricane-Michael-Georgia-ag-impacts.pdf.
46. Matt Kemper, “The Year for Georgia Farmers: ‘Man, it was Gut
Wrenching,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 30,
2018, https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/the-year-for-georgia-
farmers-man-was-gut-wrenching/GaGwQh5Cs5cIlkycaBa3TI/.
47. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
48. Jessica Saunders, “Georgia Revises Agriculture Losses from Hurricane
Michael,” Atlanta Business Chronicle, accessed October 24, 2018,
https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/10/24/georgia-revises-
agriculture-losses-from-hurricane.html.
49. Timber Impact Assessment, Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Health
Management Group, October 29, 2018, http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/forest-
management/storm-damage/Hurricane%20MichaelTimber%20Impact%20
Assessment%20Georgia%20October%2010-11%202018%20(2).pdf.
50. Andrew Sawyer, “UGA Extension Offers Tips for Producers Who
Need to Salvage Timber,” Extension News, November 28, 2018,
http://extension.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=7800&story=Timber.
51. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
52. Sharon Dowdy, “Georgia Farmers Face More than $2 Billion in Losses from
Hurricane Michael,” Extension News, October 18, 2018, http://newswire.
caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=7752&story=Hurricane Michael Totals.
53. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
54. “State Data,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research
Service, accessed March 6, 2019, https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.
aspx?StateFIPS=13&StateName=Georgia&ID=17854.
55. Ibid.
56. “Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Agriculture,” accessed
October 24, 2018, https://www.foodsafetystrategies.com/
articles/497-hurricane-michaels-impact-on-agriculture.
57. Lenni Wells, “Preliminary Acreage and Crop Loss Values for
Georgia Pecans After Hurricane Michael,” October 17, 2018,
https://site.extension.uga.edu/pecan/2018/10/preliminary-acreage-
and-crop-loss-values-for-georgia-pecans-after-hurricane-michael/.
58. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
59. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Vegetable Production in Georgia,
University of Georgia Extension, https://secure.caes.uga.edu/
extension/publications/files/pdf/TP%20105_1.PDF.
60. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
61. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Vegetable Production, UGA Extension.
62. Ibid.
63. Jennifer Brett, “Michael’s Agriculture Toll in Ga. May Hit $3B,”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 19, 2018, pp. 1B.
64. “Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Agriculture.”
65. “State Data,” USDA Economic Research Service.
66. Ibid.
67. Andrew J. Skerritt, “A $4B Blow; Timing Couldn’t Have Been Worse
for Many Farmers,” Tallahassee Democrat, October 23, 2018, p. A5.
68. Hurricane Michael’s Impact on Georgia’s Ag Economy, UGA Extension.
69. Ibid.
70. Ibid.
71. Georgia House Bill 1A (2017).
72. Georgia House Bill 4A (2017).
73. Terry England, “Mid-Year Budget Awaiting Governor’s Signature,” Barrow
Journal, March 1, 2019, http://www.barrowjournal.com/archives/13785-
England-Mid-year-budget-awaiting-governors-signature.html.
WEATHERING THE STORM 7
 SERVING THE SOUTH
Alabama • Arkansas • Florida • Georgia • Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi • Missouri
North Carolina • Oklahoma • South Carolina • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • West Virginia

This report was prepared by Anne Roberts Brody, pol-
icy analyst and committee liaison of the Agriculture &
Rural Development Committee of the Southern Legislative
Conference, chaired by Senator Daniel B. Verdin III of South
Carolina. This report reflects the policy research made avail-
able to appointed and elected state officials by the Southern
Office of The Council of State Governments (CSG).
Opened in 1959 as the final regional office of CSG, the
mission of the Southern Office is to promote and strengthen
intergovernmental cooperation among its 15-member states,
predominantly through the programs and services provided
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and serves as the premier public policy forum for Southern
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of similarly well-established and successful SLC programs —
focusing on both existing and emerging state government
innovations and solutions — provide policymakers diverse
opportunities to interact with policy experts and share their
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