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Missouri farmers report cattle losses, flooded fields after historic rain

Two farmers say last week’s extreme rainfall and flash flooding in southeast Missouri had agriculture impacts.

Jeff Reed raises cattle in Wayne and Butler Counties, and farms along the lower Black River. He says the hardest hit areas in last Friday’s storm were along the upper Black River with property damage and cattle washed away.

“Several people lost whole herds. They’re still trying to get a handle on how many. In the Ozarks whenever it rains, all that water goes downhill real fast and cattle, you know, like cool places and that’s typically where the water is.”

Governor Mike Kehoe has declared a state of emergency, and the Missouri Ag Department is asking for people to report if they’ve lost cattle or found any cattle from the flooding. Reed says there will be lots of cleanup needed.

“We’ll likely have the river come out on our fields and take some fence, but nothing nothing comparable to the damage they received up north.”

Aaron Porter raises crops in Stoddard County. He tells Brownfield they received up to five inches of rain last Friday, and while they didn’t experience the kind of flash flooding along the Black River, there are some flooded fields.

“On this farm we’re actually on right now, we’re trying to clean debris out of culverts. We did have some some banks that went over and kind of washed through the fields. But you know, it’s kind of a minor problem.”

The National Weather Service says the excessive rain and flooding that happened is uncommon, and in the near-term, the weather forecast is expected to return to more typical summer heat and scattered storms.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Jeff Reed.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Aaron Porter.