Hurricane season is fast approaching, making it the best time to get prepared for any future storms.
June 1st marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the just-released forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC) maintain there is a 35% chance of an above-normal season. With the hit that many in Florida ag took with Hurricane Irma last year, it’s a good time to make sure your farm is ready for hurricane season. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension director of Jackson County, Doug Mayo, shared tips for preparing for hurricane season in a UF/IFAS blog. See his tips below.
Tips for Preparing the Farm for Hurricane Season
“The main thing is that farmers need to be prepared to be self-sufficient for a more than a week if a storm hits. It’s best to prepare now for a hurricane because this can minimize confusion and delays,” Mayo maintained in the blog. His tips right from the article include:
- “Create a printed list of extended family, veterinarian, employees and their families, your local farm services agency office, utility company and local county Extension office.
- Purchase batteries for flashlights and lanterns. Have enough flashlights ready for each employee. June 1 to 7 is the state’s designated week for hurricane prep tax-free shopping. This would be a great time to stock up on supplies.
- Stock up on feed for animals receiving supplemental feeds. Don’t forget the cat and dog food. Have enough hay, feed and health-care supplies on hand for one to two weeks. Feed stores may not be open for business for a week or more after a storm.
- Check to ensure generators are ready and in working order for livestock operations that rely on electricity for milking parlors, chicken houses, wells for watering livestock and electric fence chargers.
- Make sure chainsaws are in good working order and stock up on mixed fuel.
- Locate chains and come-a-long for limb and tree movement off fences and buildings.
- Stock up on fence repair materials: wire, posts and staples for repairing fences damaged by limbs and trees.”
More information on planning for disasters can be found at http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.