Nearly $15 Billion in Crops Lost to Extreme Weather In These States

By Sam Stebbins  •  April 21, 2026
a large field with a single tree in the middle of it
Photo by Elisa Stone on Unsplash

Severe weather events are growing in both frequency and intensity in the era of climate change – and the economic toll taken by natural disasters is also on the rise. Over the ten years between 2016 and 2025, there were 202 major weather disasters that each resulted in at least $1 billion in destruction. Cumulatively, these incidents caused $1.5 trillion in damage in the United States, according to Climate Central. For comparison, during the previous 10 year period ending in 2015, there were only 101 billion dollar-disasters that collectively caused $542.3 billion in damage, adjusting for inflation. 

In the United States, the most devastating natural disasters, as measured by total property damage, include hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires. These and other natural disasters not only pose threats to life and property, but also to American agriculture – a critical $216 trillion per-year industry.

According to National Weather Service records, natural weather-related disasters have caused over $14.7 billion in crop losses over the last 10 years. These disasters include not only hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, but also those that pose less of a direct threat to life and property, such as freezing temperatures or droughts. While all 50 states have reported crop losses in the last decade, fewer than a dozen states account for the vast majority of destroyed agricultural output nationwide.

Using data from the NWS Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics program, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states with the greatest weather-related crop losses. We ranked all 50 states on the total value of crops destroyed by natural disasters between 2016 and 2025. Only the 10 states with the greatest losses are listed. Data on specific crop-loss events are also from the NWS. Supplemental data on farming as a share of state GDP is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

Among the states on this list, the total value of weather-related crop losses since 2016 ranges from $242 million to nearly $4.4 billion. Cumulatively, these states alone account for over 90% of the total value of crop losses due to natural disasters in the U.S. since 2016. Among these states, the types of weather events that have caused the greatest agricultural losses include cold snaps, drought, flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires. 

 10. Colorado

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $242.0 million
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Wildfire ($208.3 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive wildfire event in state since 2016: 31,699 acre Turner Gulch Fire, September 2025 ($40.4 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $2.3 billion (0.4% of state GDP)

 9. Minnesota

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $293.4 million
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Flood ($138.2 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive flood event in state since 2016: Prolonged flooding prevented crop planting, June 2019 ($131.7 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $8.5 billion (1.7% of state GDP)

 8. Iowa

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $398.8 million
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Drought ($184.6 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive drought event in state since 2016: Severe drought across state, October 2023 ($66.5 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $14.0 billion (5.3% of state GDP)
a road running through a lush green countryside
Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash

 7. North Carolina

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $610.8 million
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Flood ($556.0 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive flood event in state since 2016: Hurricane Florence brought over 20 inches of rain causing widespread flooding, September 2018 ($385.0 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $5.9 billion (0.7% of state GDP)

 6. South Carolina

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $875.8 million
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Cold/Wind Chill ($750.0 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive cold/wind chill event in state since 2016: Early growing season followed by a cold snap destroyed peach crops across upstate South Carolina, March 2017 ($750.0 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $1.3 billion (0.4% of state GDP)

 5. Texas

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $1.0 billion
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Frost/Freeze ($460.0 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive frost/freeze event in state since 2016: Cold front brought record-breaking cold to south Texas destroying citrus and other cash crops, February 2021 ($460.0 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $14.9 billion (0.5% of state GDP)

 4. Nebraska

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $1.1 billion
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Hail ($570.5 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive hail event in state since 2016: High winds and golf ball-sized hail destroyed thousands of acres of crops and grain storage infrastructure, June 2022 ($95.0 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $9.2 billion (4.9% of state GDP)

 3. South Dakota

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $1.7 billion
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Flood ($933.0 million in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive flood event in state since 2016: Prolonged flooding prevented crop planting, June 2019 ($617.2 million in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $5.9 billion (7.7% of state GDP)

 2. Florida

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $3.0 billion
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Hurricane ($2.6 billion in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive hurricane event in state since 2016: Hurricane Michael brought widespread flooding, destroying large quantities of cotton, fruit, vegetable and other crops, October 2018 ($1.5 billion in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $5.0 billion (0.3% of state GDP)

 1. Georgia

  • Total crop damage due to extreme weather, 2016-2025: $4.4 billion
  • Leading cause of major crop losses: Hurricane ($4.0 billion in crop damage since 2016)
  • Most destructive hurricane event in state since 2016: Hurricane Michael brought widespread flooding, destroying cotton, vegetable, pecan, and peanut crops, October 2018 ($2.9 billion in crop losses)
  • Farming industry statewide economic output in 2024: $5.4 billion (0.6% of state GDP)


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