b'HURRICANES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC STRAIN PUSH U.S. AG TO THE LIMITThe current mix of weather disasters, market instability and regulatory uncertainty are creating a volatile mix, U.S. agriculture continues to lead the world in efficiency and innovation. By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S. EditorSO FAR, HURRICANE HELENEis proving to be the deadliest storm in the United States since 2017. With more than 230 deaths from Helene alone, there are still people miss-ing. Including fatalities from the other 12 named storms this year, the total death toll is more than 300 lives lost. Beyond lost lives is the loss of livelihood. With many communities com-pletely swept away or in ruins, the economic impact will not be completely known for some time according to American Farm Bureau agricultural economist Danny Munch. Munch says that unprecedented challenges, from back-to-back hurricanes to ongoing transportation disruptions and regu-latory uncertainty are putting a pinch on U.S. agriculture. Its a perfect storm, Munch says, detailing the complex interplay of weather, economic pressures, and logistical bottle-Extension agents calculated $159.3 million necks that have left many scrambling.in losses from an estimated 3,672 farms in 20Virginia counties and the City of Radford. The Devastation of Hurricane Helene PHOTO BY CASE KEATLEY FOR VIRGINIA TECH. Hurricane Helene alone wreaked havoc on poultry production, with flattened barns and widespread power outages leading to catastrophic losses. We had a lot of farmers reporting flattened poultry barns, and obviously, a loss of birds, Munch explains. The contamination from flooded poultry barns has raised concerns about long-term disease pressures. He estimates that $6.3 billion worth of poultry products are produced in coun-ties directly in the hurricanes path. On the surface, the poultry industrys woes wont directly affect the seed industry, however, the poultry industry is a major consumer of feed made from corn and soybeans. Disruptions in the poultry industry can lead to volatility in the markets for corn and soybeans, which are staple components of poultry feed. If poultry farmers cut back on production, it could create an oversupply of these grains, leading to lower market satellite image of Hurricane Helenes massive reach prices. Farmers may respond by planting fewer acres of these crops, impacting the seed industrys revenues.over the Southeastern United StatesMunch emphasizes that while these figures offer some insight into the scale of the damage, they only scratch the surface. 34/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'