By Olivia McClure
LSU AgCenter
Louisiana agriculture and forestry suffered $1.69 billion in damage due to this summer’s drought and excessive heat, according to preliminary estimates by LSU AgCenter experts.
Long stretches of record-high temperatures and little to no rain led to yield and quality losses and increased production costs for farmers of row crops as well as fruits, nuts and vegetables. Livestock producers dealt with animal health issues and struggled to grow adequate forage. Forest landowners faced wildfires while crawfish producers monitored the threat of saltwater intrusion.