State officials are trying to estimate the cost to agriculture of the worst flooding in Nebraska’s history. State Ag Director Steve Wellman says when crop and livestock losses are combined the total will exceed $1 billion.

He says they included several different factors in their cost estimate.

Wellman says they don’t have actual numbers on livestock deaths, but they are estimating livestock damages alone at $400 million and that number will likely keep climbing.

He says there will also be costs associated with planting delays, lost yield potential and even cleaning up debris in fields.
As a result, estimated grain industry losses at $440 million.