Hurricane Rita destroyed homes, schools and barns when it ripped through Cameron Parish last fall. It also bruised and battered the hopes of hundreds of 4-H’ers looking forward to showing livestock.

The sound of rain falling Wednesday night (Dec. 14) was sweet as a symphony to Gary Wicke, an LSU AgCenter county agent in Cameron Parish. Reducing salt contamination in the marsh from Hurricane Rita will improve chances for cattle forage to regrow. The sooner that happens, the better, Wicke said.

The Louisiana Gulf Coast was devastated by urricanes Katrina and Rita and is moving from a rescue-oriented crisis into long-term recovery. If you live in these areas and still need help, or if you can help cattlemen prepare for winter, please read this article for staging information.

The dollar amounts, which are estimates of reduced revenue and increased costs, are broken down by storm and commodity. Total estimated costs are also provided.

The capacity of plants to grow satisfactorily in salty conditions depends on a number of interrelated factors. The physiological condition of the plant, its stage of growth, and its rooting habits certainly are among them.

Cattle producers along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast are still rounding up their herds, and they are desperate for feed, hay and water for their cattle displaced by Hurricane Rita. The animals have been forced to high ground where little forage remains.

Based on the information known at the time of the storm, and given the historical value of these industries to the state, the AgCenter was able to provide preliminary estimates on losses of revenue due to production losses.

After Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, the AgCenter quickly began to assess the damage caused to the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries. Since those initial estimates, the AgCenter has refined its projections and now pegs the total economic impact due losses in revenue and additional production costs at slightly over $1.0 billion.

Preliminary estimates of damage to Louisiana commodities caused by Hurricane Rita so far total $507 million, according to an LSU AgCenter report.

Farmers attending workshops in Acadia and Calcasieu parishes Tuesday (Oct. 25) learned about assistance for dealing with hardships caused by two hurricanes that struck the state this summer. Similar sessions, organized by the LSU AgCenter, were planned for New Iberia, Hammond and Raceland over the next few days.