Got Flooded Crops? Here Are Some Factors To Consider

By Paul Rusnak|Updated: August 15, 2024

What’s left of Hurricane Debby is forecast to drop historic amounts of rainfall across North Florida and parts of the Southeast U.S. As of this post, the strong system is delivering as promised. While it’s difficult to completely prepare your farm fields for a flood event, swift actions taken after can help save growers and their crops.

According to our latest State of the Vegetable Industry Survey, 20% of respondents experienced flood events in the past year. This among 77% of respondents who said their farm experienced extreme weather during that same time. We have covered this topic numerous times in recent years thanks to multiple major hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

Here are a few relevant takes that could help produce growers keep their heads above water when dealing with flooded fields from extreme weather events:

What To Know About USDA’s New Crop Insurance Option for Tropical Storms: USDA’s expansion of its hurricane crop insurance policy last year helped provide farmers with millions for post-Idalia issues.
Storm-Induced Flood Concerns a Reality for Tree Crops: Prolonged flooding has potentially serious disease impacts beyond food safety.
Got Flooding in Your Farm Fields? There Might Be a Solution for Swamped Crops: Unique study taps oxygen fertilizers to breathe new life into plants impacted by recurrent flood concerns.
Flood-Proof Peach Rootstocks Could Help Growers Set a New Watermark: Amid the rising tide of climate change, see what selections keep their head above the rest.
Vegetable Plantings Swamped? Here Is Some Guidance for Reducing Loss: USDA Forest Service has some short-term recommendations following a storm.
How To Handle Blueberry Crop Damage Assessments After the Storm: Wind and flood impacts can bring a handful of ailments to plants when hurricanes pass through.
Have Flooded Orchards? Keep an Eye out for Damage: While the damage from waterlogging or Phytophthora may not be immediately known, there are some warning signs to be on the lookout for.
Researchers Say Cover Crops May Help Save Soil in Flooded Fields: According to experts, planting cover crops may help preserve healthy soil in fields in fields left empty this year thanks to flooding.

Hurricane Debby radar image from 8/5/2024

Even well after making landfall, this radar image shows what was Hurricane Debby still delivering heavy impacts across a large swath as a tropical storm. Debby is predicted to move slowly and linger near the coast for days.
Image courtesy of National Weather Service

In response to the storm, agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Debby are being asked to participate in a UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) survey. The survey is part of ongoing research tracking the effects of severe weather and other hazards on the state’s agricultural industry. Participants are asked to assess production losses and asset damages due to the Category 1 storm. Click here to take part in the survey.