Tornado damage is mounting for Kentucky’s agriculture industry
Silos in the area, holding millions of bushels of corn, were also hit.
Parts of central and southern US experienced devastating tornados late Friday and early Saturday - the death toll could rise to 100 or more.
In Kentucky alone, the state's governor said on Monday that at least 74 people, including children, have died as a result of the storms.
Western Kentucky took the brunt of the damage from those tornadoes; it is a region with a significant level of agricultural production.
Facility damage
Kentucky commissioner of agriculture, Ryan Quarles, said the damage is mounting for the state's agriculture industry, confirming that the list of facilities impacted continues to grow.
Multiple chicken houses and grain systems were damaged by the storm, he confirmed, adding that the state is still assessing livestock losses.
The University of Kentucky's research station in Princeton was also hit.
“Basically, we have damage from south of Louisville, all the way to Fulton County right there where Kentucky touches the Mississippi River. And Mayfield got leveled, but we have severe damage all over Western Kentucky.”
Quarles said a massive clean-up effort is underway.
Relief fund
And his department is joining forces with the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, he continued, to raise funds and resources for agricultural-related recovery efforts for farmers affected by the tornados.
Funds collected will be administered through a grant process. The donations will be used to support both farmers and agribusinesses in the affected areas.
