Farmers in several southern states, including Georgia, Mississippi, the Carolina’s, Virginia and Alabama are preparing for a blast of winter weather Wednesday as a severe ice and snow storm moves in over the Southeastern United States.
With snow and ice expected to bring down power lines and cause transportation nightmares, farmers are preparing their operations for the worst of scenarios. Livestock farmers need to provide shelter for their outdoor animals, as the weather conditions may prove fatal to some animals. Feed and water supplies will also need to be available, as well as back-up power in the event of prolong power and transportation outages, as dairy, poultry and swine operations can be particularly vulnerable to prolonged power outages.
Farmers should consider pruning tree branches that may be too close to their power lines (remember tree branches can bend really far when weighed down with ice – even if they look like they pose no danger when ice free).
Never use heating devices that are not approved for indoor or poorly ventilated areas – these can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.