43% of Iowa’s corn and soybean crop damaged or destroyed
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), on August 11, 2020 stated that a powerful storm named Derecho that blew across the U.S. Midwest earlier this week has killed at least two people and caused widespread damage to millions of acres of crops in Iowa.
As it traveled from southeast South Dakota to Ohio, when it reached Des Moines, forecasters said wind gusts clocked at more than 100 mph devastating farm communities. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds told reporters that early estimates indicate 10 million acres (4 million hectares) have been damaged in the nation’s top corn-producing state and many grain bins have been destroyed.
This would mean about 43 percent of Iowa’s 2020 corn and soybean crop has been damaged or destroyed. State officials have said that farmers may be eligible for federal assistance as the state continues to assess storm damage.
