By Jamie Martin
While there is no single national total yet, because assessments are still in progress, roads are blocked, several poultry barns collapsed over the weekend and more structures continue to fail, because of the winter storm over the weekend (January 31 and February 1).
However, from confirmed reports, Farms.com believes over 100 structures collapsed, with at least 70 of those in Arkansas, and the remaining in Virginia.
The storm delivered heavy snowfall followed by sleet across large areas of Arkansas. In some locations, snow totals reached 12 inches, with an additional 2 inches of sleet creating dangerous roof loads on agricultural buildings.
“The grower said these were older structures and birds were being relocated to other houses on his farm,” said Kimberly Rowe, Hempstead County Agriculture agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Regionally, the count for downed poultry houses, primarily broiler houses, is estimated to be in the 30s and continues to rise.
Extension officials reported widespread damage to poultry houses, particularly in rural counties where poultry production is common. Many of the collapsed buildings were older and no longer covered by insurance. In some situations, farmers were able to move birds to other houses, but losses are still being assessed.
Beyond poultry operations, other farm structures also failed. Barns used for storing hay and equipment collapsed in several areas, leaving some livestock producers struggling to access feed during critical winter conditions. Neighbor support played an important role in helping affected farmers continue daily operations.
“A lot of those farmers are just stuck,” said Bobby Powell, Yell County extension staff chair. “They’re not going to get any insurance money for those — it’s going to be tough. Many producers will have to rebuild and go into major debt to keep their farms going.
Impacts to other agricultural sectors are still unclear. Ice-covered row covers have delayed damage assessments for fruit and vegetable crops. Beekeepers are waiting for warmer weather before checking the hive conditions. Most high tunnels survived the storm, though isolated losses were reported.
Agricultural officials emphasized that sleet was a major factor in the damage, adding significant weight to roofs already burdened by snow. Recovery efforts are ongoing, and many producers face long rebuilding timelines and financial challenges as they work to restore their operations.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-wikoski
Categories: National