Document Damage from Hurricane Laura

By Avery Davidson

The Voice of Louisiana Agriculture

Damaged rice bins in Cameron Parish following Hurricane Laura.

Farmers and ranchers across Louisiana have damage to their crops, on-farm storage, buildings and fences after Hurricane Laura left a swath of destruction from Cameron Parish all the way up to the Arkansas state line. 

Louisiana Farm Bureau Assistant to the President Kyle McCann said it’s important to document your damage as you make repairs and clean up your property. 

“Pretty much everybody has a smartphone in their pocket,” McCann said. “The easiest way to document what Laura did is to pull it out and take pictures. If you can’t do that, at least write down somewhere what the damage was and when and where it happened.”

McCann said farmers and ranchers should then contact their local Farm Service Agency and report the damage.

“There are a number of federal disaster programs the FSA has in its arsenal to help growers and landowners,” said McCann. “The trick is finding the right one, whether it’s the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Conservation Program or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. The folks at FSA have to know what your needs are and the needs of other folks in your parish to find the best fit and to let the decision makers in Washington know how much damage there is here.”

Because of COVID-19, many FSA offices are not open for in-person visits. Officials suggest farmers and ranchers call or e-mail to make an appointment or to report damage. 

The FSA has a fact sheet available listing disaster assistance programs along with eligibility and documentation requirements. Visit fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2017/fsa_disaster_assistance_programs_at_a_glance_oct2017.pdf for that list.