Flooding Devastates Farms in Northeastern US
Well before it was warm enough to plant seedlings in the ground, farmer Micah Barritt began nursing crops like watermelon, eggplant, and tomatoes — eventually transplanting them from his greenhouse into rich Vermont soil, hoping for a bountiful fall harvest.
Within a few hours last week, those hopes were washed away when flood waters inundated the small farm, destroying a harvest with a value he estimated at $250,000. He still hopes to replant short-season crops like mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, and kale.
“The loss of the crops is a very tangible way to measure the flood, but the loss of the work is hard to measure,” said Barritt, one of five co-owners of Diggers’ Mirth Collective Farm in Burlington, Vermont. “We’re all grieving and heartbroken because of this.”
Impact of Flooding on Farms
That heartbreak was felt by farmers in several Northeast states after floods dealt a devastating blow at the worst possible time — when many plants were too early to harvest but are now too late to replant in the region’s abbreviated growing season. Storms dumped up to two months’ worth of rain over a couple of days in parts of the region, surpassing the amount that fell when Tropical Storm Irene blew through in 2011, causing major flooding. Officials have called last week’s flooding Vermont’s worst natural disaster since floods in 1927.
Link to Climate Change
Atmospheric scientists say floods occurring in different parts of the world are fueled by climate change, with storms forming in a warmer atmosphere, making extreme rainfall more frequent. The additional warming scientists predict is coming will only make it worse.
Losses and Damage
Diggers’ Mirth is one of seven commercial organic farms located at the Intervale Center, which manages 350 acres (142 hectares) in the heart of Burlington. All seven farms were washed out, with losses likely to exceed those from Tropical Storm Irene. The Maple Wind Farm in Richmond, Vermont, which produces pasture-raised animals, was also struck.
Beth Whiting, who owns the farm with her husband, said even with predicted heavy rains, they assumed their turkeys would be OK because they’d never seen flooding reach the area where they kept the birds. However, the nearby Winooski River crested higher than they’d ever imagined, resulting in significant losses.
The flooding forced many farmers into tough choices, according to Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts. Dairy farmers who found roads to processing plants impassable were forced to dump milk. Thousands of acres of corn and flower farms were also destroyed.
Extent of Damage
As of Friday, about 200 Vermont farmers had reported more than 9,400 acres (3,804 hectares) in crop damage. In Massachusetts, at least 75 farms have been hurt by flooding, with about 2,000 acres (809 hectares) in crop losses at a minimum value of $15 million. Connecticut also reported about 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of farmland impacted by the flooding.
Efforts for Recovery
The disaster has prompted efforts to secure federal, state, and private funding for recovery. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced a Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund to support affected farmers. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont expressed concern over the larger environmental crisis and the need for a comprehensive response.
Pennsylvania officials have been monitoring rainfall, as excessive water can wash away soil and crops. Farmers have reported wilted crops due to waterlogged soil, leading to oxygen deprivation and plant death.
Conclusion
The recent floods in the Northeastern US have had a devastating impact on farms, causing significant crop losses and damage. The occurrence of such floods is linked to climate change, highlighting the urgent need to address environmental issues. Efforts are underway to support affected farmers and mitigate the long-term effects of the disaster.
Associated Press contributors include Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford, Connecticut, and Brooke Schultz in Philadelphia.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
SDG 1: No Poverty
- Target 1.5: By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social, and environmental shocks and disasters.
- Indicator 1.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
SDG 15: Life on Land
- Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
- Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type.
Analysis
1. The SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
2. Specific targets under those SDGs based on the article’s content are:
– Target 1.5: Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social, and environmental shocks and disasters.
– Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
– Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
– Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands.
3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:
– Indicator 1.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
– Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
– Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
– Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type.
4. Table:
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|——|———|————|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.5: Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social, and environmental shocks and disasters. | Indicator 1.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population. |
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands. | Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type. |
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Source: apnews.com
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