Gustav’s Agriculture Damage $372 Million and Counting

The first estimates of Hurricane Gustav’s damage to Louisiana’s crops is in, and it’s substantial: $372 million.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says that price tag is only expected to grow.

More than 47 percent of the state’s cotton crop was damaged by the storm, which dumped more than 20 inches of rain on farmers across the state. He says wind knocked down much of the corn and rice that had not been harvested. He says soybeans, sweet potatoes and pecans also took major damage. In fact, every crop will suffer major losses.

Strain says he’s asking federal officials for aid to help bail out farmers.