ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — Virginia Cooperative Extension has sharply increased its estimate of agricultural losses from the winter storm in late January, placing total direct damages at roughly $19 million across 32 counties. The updated figure reflects a more complete accounting of collapsed structures, damaged equipment, and livestock losses, as Virginia farmers continue to dig out and assess the aftermath.

According to Dr. Dan Goerlich with Virginia Cooperative Extension, “Rockingham, Augusta, and Page counties account for nearly 90 percent of all reported agricultural damage,” underscoring how severely the storm struck the central Shenandoah Valley. Long stretches of sleet and heavy, wet snow placed extraordinary weight on farm buildings, leading to widespread structural failures.

Producers have reported losses including poultry houses, hay barns, equipment sheds, and hoop house buildings, along with damage to fencing and other essential infrastructure. Livestock losses now exceed $1 million, with impacts to poultry flocks, beef cattle, dairy herds, and sheep operations. Officials say those numbers may continue to rise as farmers gain access to remote sites and complete their inventories.

Extension agents and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency are urging producers to document all losses carefully and report them to their local Extension office as soon as possible. The updated estimates will help determine eligibility for state and federal disaster assistance programs.

While cleanup and repairs are expected to take weeks, agricultural officials say the rapid reporting from producers has helped build a clearer picture of the storm’s toll and will guide recovery efforts in the hardest‑hit counties.