US(VA): Snowstorm damage largely structural

The blizzard that hit the East Coast last week covered the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in snow. While the total damage of the storm is still not known, at least in Virginia, initial reports point toward mostly structural damage for the agricultural sector.

“The snowstorm in Virginia was widespread and resulted in many road and office closures,” said Elaine Lidhold, director of Communications for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Agricultural damage was mainly structural, with some losses of newborn calves and poultry. The nursery industry experienced several collapsed greenhouses and tunnels. Officials are still surveying damage as of January 27. We are not aware of loss of life among our farm community.”

Elsewhere in the country, the storm closed roads and made it difficult to transport fresh produce to the Northeast, one of the largest markets in the U.S. Several shippers also noted how the storm, like harsh winter weather usually does, had a dampening effect on consumer demand.

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Elaine Lidholm