A historic winter storm that swept across much of the United States this weekend is causing widespread disruption to agriculture, with ice, snow, and bitter cold resulting in barn collapses, power outages, livestock evacuations, and mounting economic losses expected to exceed $100 billion.
Rural roads, especially, have been quiet in recent days as plows have struggled to keep up with the complicated mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
“This winter storm will shut it all down, and its effects will be widespread, impacting 200 million people in the United States,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. “The historic storm will result in tens of thousands of canceled flights, school and business closures for days , and supply chain disruptions that will be significant and costly. The bitter cold following the storm will prolong suffering and dangers. Long after the storm is gone, prolonged power outages in the hardest-hit areas that experience significant icing could last for weeks.”
Meteorologists warn that the dangerous cold behind this storm can be just as detrimental as the precipitation alone. Power outages affecting over 1 million utility customers across the country have already made recovery more difficult, especially across areas with the worst ice accumulation.
Meanwhile, bitterly cold surging southward to the Gulf Coast will continue to push temperatures 15 to 30 degrees below historical averages for the coming week.
In total, AccuWeather estimates damage and economic loss caused by the storm at some $105 billion to $115 billion, considering the destroyed infrastructure, impact on the supply chain, power outages, livestock, and crops, as well as the halt in transportation. Some 17,000 flights have been cancelled or delayed due to the storm in the country.
Ice storms leave barns, arenas in ruins across ag country
For livestock and equine producers in North Texas and southern Oklahoma, the storm has been devastating.
Multiple barns, arenas, hay sheds, and covered livestock facilities have collapsed under the extraordinary weight of ice. Reining horse operations across the region reported widespread structural failures as ice loads overwhelmed roofs not designed to support that level of frozen precipitation.
In a social media post, equine media specialist Chelsea Schneider shared a current list of horse farms that had lost structures, explaining that this was not a snow event but a prolonged ice storm that delivered immense weight to structures. Just two inches of solid ice can add more than 10 pounds per square foot to a roof — meaning a standard 100-by-250-foot indoor arena can suddenly bear more than 300,000 pounds. In some areas, producers estimate ice accumulations exceeded five inches, placing tens of tons of pressure on buildings.
According to operations like Vanlandingham Reining Horses, based in Whitesboro, the quick response and the help of the community likely saved lives from the destruction. Many barns were evacuated in the middle of the night as the roofs of the buildings began to collapse.
Fire department, neighbors, and farm crews worked together in cutting through metal to free the trapped animals, as many farmers reported minimal injuries to animals despite the catastrophic damage to the facilities.
The storm’s impact has extended well beyond the equine industry.
In Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, a rare, prolonged sleet storm caused the collapse of poultry houses and greenhouses in Rockingham County according to local news. Farmers described 10 to 12 straight hours of sleet pounding metal roofs, with some poultry houses failing while live birds were still inside. Icy road conditions have delayed damage assessments, and the full scope of agricultural losses in the region remains unknown.
Producers reminded to report winter storm losses, avoid fraud
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has encouraged producers in the path of Winter Storm Fern to report losses and contact local USDA Service Centers as soon as conditions permit. USDA officials said disaster programs are available to assist producers in recovering from losses attributed to the storm, including loss of livestock, crops, trees, fencing, and conservation.
Those producers who use crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program are encouraged to report losses within established timeframes. Livestock producers should also keep records of the starting number of animals, documenting them by photo or video. In addition to this, the USDA suggests that producers ensure animals have access to shelter, bedding, and unfrozen water during this prolonged cold snap.
States such as Missouri and Georgia have warned about potentials for price gouging and scams.
“Winter brings more than snow and ice; it brings scammers looking for an easy target. My Office is on the lookout for price gouging and will hold anyone accountable who tries to profit off bad weather,” Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said. “Missourians can file a complaint regarding fraud or price gouging with our Office by calling 800-392-8222.”
With dangerous cold expected to linger for days (and in some regions, weeks) agricultural officials and meteorologists alike stress that recovery will be slow. Power restoration, debris removal, and infrastructure repair are expected to be especially challenging where ice damage was severe.
