About two dozen tornadoes wrecked homes, businesses and communities from Arkansas to Illinois, but the worst was one 200-mile path of destruction in Kentucky late last week.
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles said the damage is mounting for the state's agriculture industry.
He said the list of facilities impacted continues to grow, with extensive damage reported to Mayfield Grain Company, Hutson Deere dealership, Pilgrim's hatcheries, as well as multiple chicken houses and grain systems that were also damaged by the storm. He said the state is still assessing livestock losses.
Mayfield Grain Company, which is family owned and operated, took a direct hit from the tornado. Portions of the facility were shredded by the powerful storm.
An aerial photo by James Hunt on Facebook shows just how severe the damage was to the grain facility during the rare December tornado. The tornado tore the rooves from grain bins and left buildings in pieces.
The photo also shows a semi full of grain thrown on its side.
University of Kentucky's research station in Princeton, Ky. was also wrecked. It was recently renovated and designated the Grain and Forage Center of Excellence.
