Farmers on the East Coast are bracing once again for a major storm as a nor’easter is expected to bring high winds, snow and freezing temperatures. This comes on the heels of Hurricane Sandy that spared acres of cropland from catastrophic danger. The question is, can those unharvested crops stand another hit?
“I don’t expect too many agricultural impacts from the nor’easter, except perhaps in some coastal and near-coastal areas” said Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist. “Rainfall may aggravate wet conditions but should not cause any renewed flooding.”
Most of the cropland in states impacted by the nor’easter escaped significant harm when Sandy blew through. “Some of the most dire reports came from Maryland and Delaware, which bore the brunt of heavy rain and also had some significant wind,” said Rippey.
Only 55 percent of soybeans in Delaware and Maryland were harvested by Oct. 28 when Sandy hit. As of Nov. 4, Delaware had harvested 66 percent and Maryland 60 percent.
Corn fared well as most of the mid-Atlantic corn had been harvested prior to the storm. Farther inland, winds were generally not high enough to topple corn stalks.
Dry weather in the days after Sandy minimized long-term impacts on cotton fields. Virginia had 45 percent of its cotton harvested before Sandy and only 49 percent as of Nov.4. North Carolina’s post-storm harvest was a bit better with 48 percent as of Nov.4. Just 34 percent was harvested prior.
Other effects of Sandy included salt water intrusion in coastal areas, especially from Virginia to Rhode Island and orchard trees in the Appalachian highlands received damage from high winds and heavy, wet snow.
