Disaster Recovery Meeting Scheduled In Amite

By Johnny Morgan

LSU AgCenter 

(09/14/21) The LSU AgCenter will sponsor a meeting for landowners, farmers and producers in Tangipahoa, St. Helena, Washington and St. Tammany parishes who sustained damage from Hurricane Ida. 

The meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Tangipahoa Parish Fairgrounds in Amite.

A session for forest landowners will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a presentation for agricultural and livestock producers at 6:30 p.m. 

The meeting will be outdoors with social distancing and masks required. Attendance is limited to 50; please email Whitney Wallace, AgCenter forestry and wildlife agent, at wwallace@agcenter.lsu.edu to secure your spot. 

After Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, the AgCenter quickly began to assess the damage caused to the agriculture and forestry industry. Wallace said the biggest economic impact is likely to be to agricultural infrastructure and timber. 

The AgCenter is partnering with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to put a numerical value to timber damage in the southeast portion of the state. 

During assessments, Wallace met numerous producers and landowners who reported significant timber loss, downed fences and livestock that were without water after sustaining damage to water and power sources. 

“As agricultural producers move into recovery mode and assess damages, it is important that they receive up-to-date information on recovery and recovery programs available from state and federal agencies,” Wallace said. “The AgCenter is here to be a resource during a time of need for our agricultural producers. That is why we are scheduling a meeting presentation that will include experts from the AgCenter and representatives from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, NRCS and FSA to help guide producers through this difficult time.” 

For more information, call 985-748-9381 or email Wallace at wwallace@agcenter.lsu.edu.