Farm impact of Hurricane Harvey in SW Louisiana
LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - We've already had an above-average amount of rain in Southwest Louisiana this summer. Now with the possibility that Hurricane Harvey could soak the ground, even more rice farmers could lose their crops.
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says 80 percent of rice has already been harvested, which is good, but farmers could lose the rest if the hurricane stalls out and comes this way.
Strain says if the storm goes back into the Gulf of Mexico, Southwest Louisiana could see seven to 12 inches of water flooding already saturated ground and ruining the remaining rice.
"If the rice goes underwater right at harvest, a lot of times you lose that rice because it begins to sprout. We're hoping farmers can get as much out of the fields as they can, and the water will not rise enough to touch the actual rice grain itself," said Commissioner Strain.
The commissioner adds if you're south of the Intracoastal Waterway, you need to evacuate now.
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