U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure her home state’s farmers and producers receive needed federal drought assistance.
“I represent the largest agriculture district in the state of Louisiana, and I’ve heard directly from our farmers and producers how droughts have affected my constituents and their livelihoods,” Rep. Letlow said in a Dec. 8 statement. “It is crucial our farmers and producers receive the assistance they need when they are faced with extreme weather conditions.”
For instance, over the summer, Louisiana faced record drought and extreme weather conditions that impacted the state’s agriculture sector to the tune of an estimated loss of $1.37 billion during 2023, the congresswoman wrote in a Dec. 7 letter sent to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack.
The state’s estimated losses are due to yield losses, quality losses, additional disaster mitigation costs, and animal deaths, according to her letter.
“This does not include losses associated with forestry, which has suffered an additional $324.6 million in losses,” Rep. Letlow wrote.
Drought and excessive heat conditions this year also show that commodities, such as hay, soybeans, crawfish, grain sorghum, rice, cotton, sugarcane, and other major row crops have suffered extreme yield losses, she wrote, adding that the beef cattle industry has suffered estimated impacts of roughly $217 million.
“While these may just be numbers on paper,” wrote Rep. Letlow, “I have seen firsthand the severe impact of these drought conditions and how it has affected the agriculture community.
“I look forward to working with you and [USDA] to ensure our agriculture producers receive the assistance that is required,” she concluded.
Jim Harper, Louisiana Farm Bureau president, supports the letter.