Hurricane Beryl brought winds over 86 mph and up 10-15 inches of rain to parts of Texas earlier this month.

Matagorda and Wharton counties were two of the hardest-hit counties from a crop standpoint, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Corrie Bowen, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Wharton County, said 3-8 inches of moisture fell as the hurricane passed over the county with winds over 86 mph.

“We have extensive crop damage and ongoing damage,” Bowen said. “Nobody can remember a time when all 235,000 acres of crops were still in the field and susceptible to a hurricane or tropical storm. This was an early storm. Corn harvest had barely begun, and only about 30% of the grain sorghum had been harvested. And all our rice was still out there, along with soybeans and cotton.”

While time will tell on the full extent of the damage, he said most producers in the area are estimating 20-30% losses in corn. Some fields have plants leaning 45 degrees that could still be harvestable, but in other fields the corn is lying flat. It’s estimated 50% of the sorghum crop in those counties is damaged.

Terry Hlavinka, president of Hlavinka Equipment in East Bernard, Texas, said farmers are trying to restart harvest now.

He says, “I think the crop loss will be 15% to 100% for corn, rice, and cotton.  I estimate this average to be 25%.  The remaining sorghum loss is probably 40-100%.  The forecast calls for more rain in the next several days which could significantly increase the damage since a large portion of the crop is leaning or on the ground.”

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