Sugarcane Farmers Adjust to Drought and Storm Effects

In Louisiana, sugarcane harvesting is in full swing, but farmers are faced with challenges due to unpredictable weather. Recently, Hurricane Francine struck the state, causing wind and rain to damage crops. Troy Canella, a sugarcane farmer, saw his crops flooded and flattened by the storm. Now, his farm is parched with cracked soil. "We asked for dry weather, and boy, did we get it, " Canella commented. Stephen Simoneaux, another farmer, encountered similar troubles during last year's drought. He mentioned that dry, windy days make it hard to burn the crops for harvesting, but there's a silver lining. "With the dry conditions, we can lift the cane without mud, sending good quality to the factory, " Simoneaux noted. Comparing this year's drought to last year's, Simoneaux believes this one will have less impact on growth. "Last year's drought hit us hard during peak growth. This October drought? I'll take it every year. Harvesting conditions are fantastic, " he said.