In the U.S., Texas is among the top 3 states projecting large annual agricultural losses due to natural disasters. A new analysis from Trace One projects that ×ã½»ÊÓƵ County farms are expected to lose a total of $837,223 per year.
According to the USDA, there are 1.9 million farms in the U.S. that are responsible for annually producing $489 billion in crop and livestock value. In ×ã½»ÊÓƵ County, there are 1,412 farms and each farm is expected to lose $593 annually due to natural disasters. That’s an expected annual loss rate of 1.14%. The total agriculture value in ×ã½»ÊÓƵ County, according to Trace One, is $73,384,745. Out of the 3,070 counties that were examined by Trace One, ×ã½»ÊÓƵ ranks 734 in natural disaster impact.
In comparison, Yoakum is ranked 552 and is expected to have a total annual loss of about $1.14 million with each of the 276 farms expected to lose $4,156. Goliad, with 1,092 farms, has an annual expected loss of $211,402 across the board, each farm expecting an annual loss of $194. Refugio’s 315 farms are expected to have an annual loss of $1,606 per farm or $505,759 total.
On the other hand, FEMA estimates that the U.S. loses an estimated $3.4 billion in agricultural value annually due to natural hazards or roughly $1,800 per farm.
Drought is the leading and most common cause of economic loss in the agriculture industry in not just Texas but across the entire country. After California, Texas sees the highest annual expected loss in the country, losing about $199 million each year due to natural hazards. Trace One cites that drought alone accounts for more than half of the $3.4 billion dollars the U.S. loses, averaging $1.8 billion per year.
But drought affects more than just crops—it affects livestock as well. Extreme heat stresses livestock and leads to decreased productivity and raises costs for dairy and meat products.
After drought, hurricanes are the second most common cause of economic loss but in ×ã½»ÊÓƵ County it is the leading cause of agriculture losses. Hurricanes destroy crops, damage farms’ infrastructure and cause widespread flooding. Each year hurricanes cause $471 million in losses in the U.S.
Flooding causes an annual loss of $424 million and cold waves cause $278 million in loss across the country. Weather events such as hailstorms, strong winds and heat waves combined contribute hundreds of millions in losses to the yearly toll.
This in-depth analysis of data from the USDA and FEMA examines the effect of natural disasters on the nation’s food supply and to pinpoint where weather related events are having the greatest impact on farmers. Trace One is a company that specializes in product formulation software and regulatory compliance for the food and beverage industry. To read the full report from Trace One please visit .
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