Little Rock Crop Damage Lawyer

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2017, there were 245,651,153 acres of farmland actively being used for planting a variety of crops, including barley, corn, cotton, oats, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets, sugarcane, and wheat. That’s over 38,000 square miles of resources for human and animal consumption and use. In our own state of Arkansas, our residents own over 96% of the nation’s rice farms.

men sitting at table with world map on the wall

Resolving Crop Damage Claims with Legal Expertise

Agricultural production involves a variety of inputs and procedures to ensure a fruitful crop. The process is often complicated and involves scientific and mathematical understanding. So, when crop damage and failure happen, anger and confusion are common reactions. Crop damage claims frequently give rise to litigation and battles to determine the true cause or causes of the failure.

Facts and Stats on Agriculture in Arkansas

This information has been compiled from a variety of resources provided by Arkansas’ Farm Bureau (ARFB).

Agriculture is the largest industry in Arkansas, adding around $16 billion to the state’s economy each year.
The agriculture and forestry industries use more than 95% of Arkansas’ land resources: 14.5 million acres are used as farmland, 6.2 million acres are used to plant and harvest crops, 8.3 million acres are dedicated to livestock and hay, and 18.8 million acres consist of forest land.
Arkansas ranks third in cotton production, producing 7% of the United States crop.
Of the 49,346 farms in Arkansas, 97% are family-owned.
The average farm in Arkansas is 308 acres.

Why Crop Damage Happens

As you can see from the information above, agriculture is a crucial part of Arkansas’ economy. When crop damage occurs, the consequences can be very serious. Before discussing the impact of crop damage, we must first examine why crop damage occurs.

Diseased Plants

While a variety of pollutants can bring disease to a crop, the most common are ozone, sulfur oxide, fluoride, and nitrogen oxide peroxyacetyl.

Ozone pollution occurs when cars, oil refineries, and industrial combustions emit nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons. As a result, the plants may exhibit a variety of symptoms. When a variety of fuels are combusted, sulfur dioxide is released. This substance is often lethal to plants. Fluoride is released from the production of aluminum and fertilizers. Plants impacted by large amounts of fluoride will die. Growing crops will mutate when exposed to nitrogen oxides peroxyacetyl.

Defective Fungicides or Pesticides

The AAD’s pesticide division is responsible for distributing, storing, and using all the pesticides in the state. While they work with the FDA to enforce the laws and regulations regarding fungicide and pesticide use, defective pesticides or the improper use of effective pesticides can damage crop production and the health of local residents.

Improper use of pesticides can also result in pesticide spray drift. This occurs when the airborne movement of pesticides travels to an unintended site. Pesticidal drift can affect people, animals, plants, and property.

Defective Seeds

According to Arkansas’ State Plant Board, the AAD is responsible for sampling, inspecting, and testing all agricultural, vegetable, and flower seeds offered for sale to determine if the seeds comply with the current laws and regulations. Sometimes, defective seeds slip through the cracks. Defective seeds can cause poor crop numbers, mutations that make the crops unusable, or total crop failure.

The Impact of Crop Damage

There are a variety of consequences related to the damage or failure of crops.

Weakening Economy. Crop damage impacts the economy from different angles. If an insufficient food supply results, the government may be forced to import food from other countries. Without certain crops, livestock numbers may decrease, and the farming industry will take a hit.
Failure of Agriculturally Based Industries. The industries related to the agricultural industry’s success include food processing and cloth manufacturing. The agriculture-based industries will suffer if there is a lack of raw materials.
Increased Food Prices. Crop failures often lead to a severe increase in food prices.
Starvation. In severe cases, especially in countries that rely entirely on their own food supply, crop damage and failure may put the general population at risk for starvation. This is especially true if no regulations or plans are in place to counteract the damage.

Seeking Legal Representation from an Arkansas Crop Damage Lawyer

Our Little Rock crop damage lawyers at McMath Woods have handled agricultural damage claims for decades. Our experience with product liability, toxic injury, and environmental law allows us to create successful cases for our clients to enable them to pursue full and fair compensation for the negligence of another individual or corporation.
If you feel your crop damage resulted from another party’s negligence, contact us online today. We’ll review your case and inform you of your options and rights.